Hospice Heroes
Delaware Hospice’s social worker,
Audrey Drozdowski, MSW, received an
Honorable Mention in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s
annual Photography, Film and Writing Contest for her essay, “Hospice
Heroes.” Read her heartwarming
dedication to those who work and volunteer in hospice.
By Audrey
Drozdowski, MSW
When we hear the word hero we often think of the superheroes
of our childhood. You know the ones: blue tights and red cape, big letter S on
the chest or perhaps the one with red and blue, head to toe tights, who can
spray webs from his wrists, or bat looking outfit all black and serious. These
superheroes are able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, catch the
villain with web-slinging preciseness, or using gadgetry catches the bad guy.
Well, we at Delaware Hospice, Inc. have our own heroes.
The Hospice Hero does not wear a cape, the Hospice Hero does
not have fancy costumes and these heroes are not able to leap tall buildings,
fly faster than a speeding bullet or sling webs to capture the villains that
they see. Nonetheless, they are heroes. Everyday they face the villainy of
disease.
Hospice Heroes are volunteers. Often these individuals still
work a full or part-time job and have families of their own to tend to, but
they unselfishly give of their time and talent to help those with terminal
illness. Many of the individuals who volunteer their personal time to help are
retirees. They are a special breed of hero who has a lifetime of experience to
share. Delaware Hospice volunteers help ease some of the calamity felt by the
families that Delaware Hospice serves in many ways. Some mow lawns, others
perform hairdressing magic, and then there are those who play a mean game of
checkers. This list is by no means limited to those three things. Our
volunteers are heroes because they relieve the burden of the illness for each
person and family they contact.
Hospice Heroes are certified nursing assistants. These
individuals, while not able to travel faster than a speeding bullet, are quick
and precise in the care they give. They provide caring empathy with each
patient and the patient family. They teach families how to give good physical
care to their loved ones. These Hospice Heroes make sure that the family and
patient are comfortable with their care and they provide a needed ear to
listen.
Hospice Heroes are chaplains. Hospice chaplains don’t always
wear the big letter “S” on their chests signifying their hero status. These
heroes offer emotional and spiritual comfort to those with illness that will
take their life someday. Chaplains also offer this to the patient families and
friends that they are able to meet. Chaplains are able to open a spiritual door
for patients and families to walk through, if they so choose.
Hospice Heroes are social workers. Social workers don’t
always use the gadgets that our favorite fantasy heroes use, but they do have
their own set of tools: compassion, empathy, advocacy, knowledge, and
self-determination. These heroes offer choices to patients and their families
and support them in those choices – even if they feel the choice is not the
best. They allow the patient and family the ability to live the last days as
they wish without the confusion of judgment.
Hospice Heroes are bereavement counselors. These awesome
individuals work with patients and families to accept what is to come or to
help the families work through the mad maze of grief. They always have smiles,
offer compassionate and active listening, sometimes offer their tears when no
one sees and always, always make themselves available!
Hospice Heroes are nurses. Nurses are the heroes who are
viewed as angels by their patients and families. They are the ones who are sent
to alleviate pain and discomfort. They educate patients and families about
their illness to take the some of the mystery away and make room for more
realistic expectations. They have an arsenal of gadgets at their disposal to
make the last days most comfortable for all concerned. Among this arsenal is a
caring heart to hear the patient, loving hands to hold, and kind words to ease
the transitions throughout the illness.
Hospice Heroes are the Team Leaders. These individuals make
sure that the other heroes are aware of the latest and most up to date care
options for patients and families. Team Leaders are the guiding force behind
the other hospice heroes. They manage to make miracles happen everyday.
Hospice Heroes are the people who answer the phones with
kind, gentle voices no matter how many phone calls from upset patients or their
families they have received. They are the people who manage to keep the patient
charts in order no matter how the other heroes may have left them. Hospice
Heroes are those who work night and day to keep our computer and phone systems
up and running so that nothing is lost and information is to the minute
current. Hospice Heroes are those who manage the managers. They make sure that
those miracles occur. Hospice Heroes are those who sit on the Board of Trustees
and those who gather funding for all that is needed to make hospice beneficial
to patient and family care. Hospice Heroes are those who keep the facility and
grounds absolutely beautiful and thereby transfer a sense of well-being for all
who enter the Hospice
Center. Hospice Heroes
are those who prepare and serve well balanced, delicious meals to our patients
while they are in the Hospice
Center. Our doctors and
advanced practice nurses are heroes who write the orders to relieve suffering,
provide an open ear, and offer gentle reassuring to all their patients and
their families.
Hospice Heroes are many. They are interlocked and work
together to make sure that patients and their families are well taken care of
during a most difficult time in life. Hospice Heroes throw the doors open to
the next step in this journey we call life. No, they don’t have fancy super
hero suits, they don’t have any special super hero powers or super hero
sidekicks, but they still fight the villainy of disease, the heartbreak of
loss, and the depression of grief in many fantastical ways.
Delaware Hospice is accredited by The Joint Commission.