A few years ago, I saw one of the friends post something about her visits as a hospice volunteer. I was so drawn to those moments that I would review her page often to see what she was up to next. She would bring her dog along for most of her visits to provide comfort and/or distractions during this difficult time. I was so impressed on how much she loved doing those little things for her patients.
I reached out to her to ask her a couple of questions. The wealth of knowledge that she provided me and how she felt about volunteering was so helpful that I reached out to the local hospice center to sign up for the next available volunteer course and orientation.
After graduating from the hospice volunteer course, I waited for my first assignment. My focus was nursing homes and patients with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. It wasn’t long before I got that special person.
Every Thursday at 10:30 a.m., I would go see my girl, (MG*) MG smiled every time that she saw me. She would gladly point to my head when my bangs were not styled down on my forehead. It was almost like she told me that clipping them back was not an option. I shared books, music and my doll with her. Each moment, MG would show different sides of herself. From throwing out a cuss word while taking a stroll around the hospital to pointing a finger and telling me the gospel in a rambling session to sitting quietly by my side, I smiled because I truly felt that I got her. Her smiles and laughter light up a room and truly warmed my heart. Over time, she did regress. She slept more. Her speech soften. Even though I knew that my time would be limited, I was so honored and privileged to be a part of each of those visits.
Then one Thursday, I went to go see MG. I walked quietly to the community room and I knew. I looked in the Community Room Assistant’s eyes and nothing else needed to be said. I mouthed, “Thank you” and left just as quickly as I arrived. I sat in my car for a bit and reflected. Yes, it broke my heart but in the same breathe, I felt at peace because I was so honored to be a part of MG’s life. It was truly a gift.
If you are interested in volunteering in this type of setting, I highly recommend you connecting with your local hospice or palliative care service organization. There are so many ways to give from administrative support, bereavement duties, arts and music enrichment and more.
What has been your most rewarding experience? I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to email or comment below.
*Due to privacy, my patient will be noted as MG throughout my blog.