I have met few people who react differently than "It must be very hard to work there - I could…read morenever do that."
A hospice, for those who do not know, is a non-profit organization that specializes in the passing of the dying, providing the care and compassion and medical attention to those within six months of death.
During my final two years of high school, when every student was given the week off to perform 90 or more hours of service, most chose to care for children at day cares or to make meals for the homeless or to sort clothes at a drive. I chose to work at a hospice with my best friend, and it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life, thanks to Good Shepherd, one of the nation's finest hospices (determined from working at other hospices in New York City, none of which can even compare to the staffing and funds of this top of the line Kansas City hospice.)
Doreen, the volunteer Coordinator, was organized and efficient in directing us throughout the week-long training seminar on death and dying and our role as not only a volunteer for the families and the loved ones about to pass on, but also as a confidante, a care-taker, a listener, a rock through the sometimes traumatic moments.
We were trained to alleviate as best we could - a roll I never imagined myself in, yet, a roll so necessary to so many area families. I had no initial idea as to the impact this hospice has made in the lives of others, and to this day, if ever I mention it to a friend or a distant somebody I know, I am always surprised by the reactions of those whose loved ones have been provided for by this hospice.
Good Shepherd is not affiliated with any religion, allowing for the spiritual needs of the dying to be met with whatever faith or non-faith they wish to pass in.
The women and men (mostly women) who work here are the most uplifting people I have ever met. Everyday, they held a morning meeting (often passing around muffins someone had freshly baked) to discuss the amazing progress of some of the patients, or to discuss any concerns, any hopes, any fears felt while working. The volunteers are treated as members of the working staff, and can participate in this meeting.
The freedom that I had as a volunteer made me realize the great responsibility that Good Shepherd entrusts to its volunteers in general to be able to visit area patients and meet their needs with the utmost attention and respect.
My friend and I worked daily after the initial morning meeting, making home visits and nursing home visits to those under Hospice watch - and most the time, the elderly were sleeping when we came in, to whom we would ensure they were comfortable and well taken care of by those on the clock (nursing homes can be so crudely kept in some counties, but that is another horrible truth I will not tell today.)
Sometimes we would play music or read stories or eat with them or listen to them talk about the war or their late husbands, or their children's children - often times the stories were incredibly enlightening and worth much more than the thirty minutes spent listening.
To those whom have never considered spending time in this way in your life - I would reconsider. It is not a morbid experience, working for Good Shepherd, it is an organization that has maintained the dignity and grace of the elderly through their last weeks on earth. It is eye-opening and necessary and there isn't a week that goes by that I do not think back to my time spent with the elderly of Kansas City preparing to pass on to the next life.
