Here's a journal I typed up for my Community Citizen class...
As far as my plans for the semester go, I plan on conquering the University of Oklahoma. And by conquering, I mean just general opportunity exploration and showing college who's boss. I'm really excited to just get out there and see what's available, in every aspect of good ole fashioned higher education. I really want to achieve some sort of 'balanced' lifestyle here.
Hopefully, the Hospice will help me achieve my idealistic lifestyle. In order to be somewhat admitted to be a patient that recieves Hospice care, a physician has to verify that a person has less than 6 months to live. Once with the Hospice program, volunteers go out and visit with patients or the patient's family and just gab it up or run errands, whatever needs to be done. Once a patient passes, Hospice also provides bereavement care. During bereavement, volunteers maintain contact with the patient's family and just generally watch out for their well-being and make sure they're doing OK for (on average) 13 months after the patient passes. If none of these opportunities work out, there's always filing to be done in the office.
I went to training last Saturday for approximately seven grueling hours. The training was really boring, but definitely necessary. It forced me to do some pondering about what death is to me and what my death will be like, which is kind of surreal at 18. There were some perks though: free pizza and Taylor from class was there so it wasn't quite unbearable. Jacqueline, the volunteer coordinator seems like a nice lady and I look forward to working with her.
I'm kind of anxious about the entire experience though. It's definitely a positive anxiety, though. I've never worked with the elderly before and thats a much different experience than with children or people with disabilities. Not to mention the obvious strain of knowing the people I will be visiting will be dealing with the anguish of dying.
It's a tough job, but I suppose someone's got to do it and I'm sure it will be indescribably rewarding. In addition, it's great experience for my current Social Work major.
Today at 1:30 I embark on my conquering with my first respite sitting with Jacqueline. I'm going in. Wish me luck.
Hopefully, the Hospice will help me achieve my idealistic lifestyle. In order to be somewhat admitted to be a patient that recieves Hospice care, a physician has to verify that a person has less than 6 months to live. Once with the Hospice program, volunteers go out and visit with patients or the patient's family and just gab it up or run errands, whatever needs to be done. Once a patient passes, Hospice also provides bereavement care. During bereavement, volunteers maintain contact with the patient's family and just generally watch out for their well-being and make sure they're doing OK for (on average) 13 months after the patient passes. If none of these opportunities work out, there's always filing to be done in the office.
I went to training last Saturday for approximately seven grueling hours. The training was really boring, but definitely necessary. It forced me to do some pondering about what death is to me and what my death will be like, which is kind of surreal at 18. There were some perks though: free pizza and Taylor from class was there so it wasn't quite unbearable. Jacqueline, the volunteer coordinator seems like a nice lady and I look forward to working with her.
I'm kind of anxious about the entire experience though. It's definitely a positive anxiety, though. I've never worked with the elderly before and thats a much different experience than with children or people with disabilities. Not to mention the obvious strain of knowing the people I will be visiting will be dealing with the anguish of dying.
It's a tough job, but I suppose someone's got to do it and I'm sure it will be indescribably rewarding. In addition, it's great experience for my current Social Work major.
Today at 1:30 I embark on my conquering with my first respite sitting with Jacqueline. I'm going in. Wish me luck.