Hospice: Volunteering at the End of Life

"Volunteers are an integral and valued part of the team," says Taren Sterry, manager of volunteer services for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York Hospice Care. "They provide that extra level of care and comfort that neighbors used to provide for free, without thinking about it."

Hospice volunteer Linda Harris spent many a recent hour typing up poems and, in the process, learning about life and death, love and family, honesty and what it takes to make a difference. Written over time, some in the final months of life, the poems are the legacy of a remarkable 80-something woman Linda calls "The Poetry Madame."

"I am sometimes asked if it is difficult to be a hospice volunteer, to get to know someone only to have them pass away. The short answer is no. It is rewarding, transformative and life-affirming. The longer answer involves death as part of the continuum of life, understanding expectations, maintaining personal boundaries and undergoing adequate training and education."

...read more of this good article at the Huffington Post.

 

You need to be a member of Hospice Community Forum to add comments!

Join Hospice Community Forum

Email me when people reply –

CATEGORIES

 
 

CAREGIVERS STORE

by Rashani Rea & Kathy Douglas

Those who companion suffering daily, such as hospice nurses and volunteers, will surely appreciate this beautiful work. With 62 original art collages by Rashani Réa, five beautiful chapters by Kathy Douglas, and a foreword by Jean Watson, this exquisite book is a peaceful refuge for contemplation, inquiry, reflection and inspiration for those who traverse the joys and sorrows of nursing.

Kathy Douglas, RN, MPH-HA is a nationally recognized nurse leader, filmmaker and entrepreneur. 

Rashani Réa is a prolific artist and musician, a creatrice of sanctuaries and a respected spiritual mentor.

“This is a beloved book and beyond a book. It is an evocative, poetic, ecstatic, and inspirited sacred, experiential calling. A calling to you--YES, YOU.” 

— Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, Living Legend (AAN)

“Those who companion suffering daily need to turn inward to metabolize what they have witnessed. This exquisite book, filled with beautiful images and poetic wise words, is the inspiration and support needed to grow a wise heart.” 

— Frank Ostaseski, founder and director of the Metta Institute and author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully

“In this unique time of the COVID-19 pandemic, this book should be considered a tribute to the tremendous courage being displayed by nurses around the world. There is much wisdom conveyed throughout by those who have been there serving others with such grace.” 

Greg Schneider President, HVA, co-author of The Changing Face of Hospice Volunteering in Hospice and Palliative Care 

Buy Now