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Zen Hospice Project - Volunteers

Posted by Greg Schneider on February 1, 2014 at 12:43pm
Views: 124
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Tags: compassion, "zen hospice", caregivers, volunteers
Volunteer Caregiver Program This program brings together people with a meditation or spiritual practice and individuals facing the final months or weeks of life. It encourages a mutually beneficial relationship between people who are cultivating a "listening mind" and heart, and people who need to be heard and seen. In caring for the dying, Volunteer Caregivers have the opportunity to explore their own relationship to death and, in turn, offer our residents a place of quietude, openness, grace, and dignity. Volunteers provide practical, emotional, and spiritual support to men and women with cancer, AIDS, or other terminal illnesses. They make soup, change linen, give backrubs, and listen to life stories. They attempt to bring to these everyday activities the open heart, mindfulness, and equanimity that are cultivated in meditation. Each volunteer receives thorough training, on-going supervision, and support from a community of like-minded individuals. No prior experience in health care is necessary. Zen Hospice understands that we all have the capacity to empathetically care for another. Each year, 100+ volunteers collectively provide 20,000 hours of care for 200 patients at one of two locations: The Zen Hospice Project Guest House, a comfortable and restful environment for people who cannot die in their own home. The Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Laguna Honda Hospital, a unique care program for the medically underserved populations of San Francisco. Upon completion of the training, Volunteer Caregivers are placed at the location that is deemed the most suitable by our Volunteer Managers.

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Comments

  • Frances Shani Parker March 2, 2014 at 5:37am
    This video captures the spirit of what hospice is all about. I encourage everyone, especially volunteers, to view it and be open to the blessings it brings.
  • Greg Schneider February 4, 2014 at 10:13am

    Sharon,

    Thanks for your comments...ZHP was an interesting place. On several occasions patients would get up out of their bed, walk down the hall and visit other patients to give them support. It was quite beautiful to watch and experience. Sometimes they would participate in ceremonies as well. That is one of the beauties of a residential hospice.  Those who were courageous enough to help others most likely were able to face their own deaths more peacefully.

    Greg

  • Sarah Hamel February 3, 2014 at 3:51pm

    Perfectly said Sharon.  I was so touched by that as well. 

  • Sharon Marie Mains February 3, 2014 at 6:40am

    So moving, thank you for sharing this. It's important to remember how much our service does for us as well as the people we serve. I just love what they do for someone once they reach the end of their journey, so solemn and respectful and absolutely profound. For the other residents there to see how their bodies are treated so lovingly once they die, and to participate in the ceremony, gives so much meaning to their lives and would aide in removal of that fear of death that so many people face.

  • Sarah Hamel February 1, 2014 at 1:59pm
    I so resonated with the volunteer speaking about hospice work reminding her to live each precious moment...beautiful video.
  • Greg Schneider February 1, 2014 at 12:49pm

    I spent about 7 years at the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco.  It was where I was initially trained as a hospice volunteer almost 20 years ago.  This video provides some perspective of Zen Hospice volunteers, which is not unique to Zen Hospice but rather a universal perspective that most volunteers have in terms of the experience of being a hospice volunteer.

    Greg Schneider
    HVA President
    HCF Creator

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