National Hospice Month
 

I know it's almost over, but I wanted to mention that November is National Hospice Month.

I used to work in hospice and have such an admiration for the nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health aids, and volunteers who help people celebrate their lives even as they are facing death.

More than pain control, hospice allows people to take a little control over an otherwise powerless situation and find peace, hope, reconciliation, and strength.

Whether you've worked in hospice, know people who do, or have had a loved one receive hospice care, it's one of the toughest parts of life and these people are amazing at it.

I'm a psych nurse, and when I tell people that, I often get "I don't know how you do it." But Hospice? I don't know how THEY do it. When I was in nursing school, I worked home health (not Hospice) for an elderly client for a year. When he succumbed to bone cancer, it hit me hard. I knew then that Hospice was not the career choice for me. Much respect for anyone that can do it, tho.

My wife is a hospice nurse... Very proud of her..

Good organizations doing what I imagine is tough work.

As an aside, I did some research for a hospice a few years back. At one of their board meetings they were talking about tertiary services, one of which was a woman with a harp who would go to houses and sing. I wasn't quite sure that a person on their deathbed would want to see a person with a harp coming into the room.

LOL Yeah I'm not sure about that either.

The agency I worked for had volunteers who had pet therapy with dogs who were just awesome for our patients, especially our younger ones who just loved when the dog would cuddle up next to them or do tricks for them.

Also we had a volunteer who was a massage therapist who would not only go in and help the patient, but also the care giver who was often tired and sore from the work of care giving.

Thanks for starting this thread....
Couldn't agree more with your comments and know first hand
what great work they do!!!
REP

You know who have never helped out at a hospice?

Stevieray and Chris616.

You kidding? That's what your hoping like hell to see. If anything it's a cruel tease.

Hear, hear OP.

They are better people than I.

I want to see Matt Cassel come in so I can shoot him in the face.

Just lost a friend to ALS today. Hospice has been integral in his journey. Great people.