[nagdu] . Couple face their own challenges by giving comfort to hospice patients.

[Arthur Nolden]

    Chasity and Hadley are a volunteer team at the Hospice facilities where they "work".  Yes, Hospice calls it "work" that we volunteers do. 

    Yes, Chasity, it is, as you said, "incredibly rewarding.

    Chasity could probably relate to the following.

    As we told the reporter, we are just two of the many hundreds at our Hospice -- who do anything from soup to nuts.

    Princess and I wanted "something" to do out in the community. The volunteer coordinator, Sheena,  mentioned in the article -- made a presentation / talk at our Lions club several years ago.  We contacted her, signed up to be volunteers.  The question was, "what can two blind / visually impaired people do at / for Hospice?"  Sheena came up with the answer. 

    The operative of what we do is to sit with patients at the acute care center, to chat, or often just listen to whatever they wanna say.

    We found out mighty dern quick that they give to us as much if not more than we give to them.  We break  the dulldrums, the loneliness, the thoughts of their illness, for a while, by "being there".

    The first patient we visited, as we were excusing ourselves to leave the room, said, "thank you for coming and visiting me."  I am here to telll you, "it can't get any better than that."  Every patient, and / or family and friends, has said, "thank you ---."  Many have added, "please  come see me again."  When we visit a patient when family is also there, as we leave the room, the patient, barely able to gasp, attempts to say "thank you".

    Many other volunteers visit patients at the care center, in hospitals, ACLF's, and nursing homes.  Many never have any contact with the patients.  Many run the thrift store, the kitchen at the care facilities, do laundry, go purchase the food for the kitchen, or do shopping for caretakers of at-home patients, answer phones at the Hosppice offices, a long list of "do" things.  Any "anything" that volunteers do is a great help to the organization that cares for its clients / patients.  All that in itself has to b so rewarding.

    I got an email this morning from the reporter.  A lady called the Times, and got in touch with her.  The lady said she had been thinking about what she could do, and where, as a volunteer.  As a result of this article, the lady is going to apply to become a volunteer -- at the HPH Hospice.

    From time to time, I take the harness off JJ, and allow the patient and family to pet him a bit in the patient room.  We do tell some that it is our own choice to do, and outside that room is a no-no.

    With the patients and family, each case, each situation is different.  Many tell us, and some at great length about their history with dogs, show dogs, pets, herder dogs.  One patient was a spouse of a late  former president of AKC.

    Some volunteers have certified TDI Therapy Dogs.  Of course Hospice allows those Therapy dogs to accompany the owner in the facility, to nursing homes, ACLF's, and in hospitals.  


    Much Gratitude to all of you folks!

        Art and Golden guide dog JJ, west central Florida.
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From: "Tami Kinney" 
June 14, 2011 


Lovely article. And very nice work to both Art and Linda.

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I thoroughly enjoyed and related to the article about the couple who do  hospice work with their guide dogs. I, too, have done this work since 2008  and find it incredibly rewarding. I have had many patients who have been 
tremendously effected by the presence of my guide dog and me. I plan on doing it as long as I possibly can. I currently volunteer for two hospices  and I have six patients, possibly a seventh coming soon.
Chasity 

Hi Ally,

I'm not sure what you meant by the patients not being able to interact with  the dog. I'm not sure what the case is with Art and Linda, but when I  volunteer, I remove Hadley's harness and allow my patients to pet her while  she lies there. I think that is such a rewarding part of volunteering, that their interaction with her totally changes their day or possibly their whole  attitude. I just wanted to say that is the case in my particular hospice  volunteer experience. I love visiting patients and bringing out a different 
side of them with my dog present and interacting with them.
Chasity




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