My first day at my internship began with puppet introductions. Sitting among my new colleagues and clinical supervisors, we were asked to pick a puppet to represent how we felt on our first day. Puppets ranged from butterflies to armadillos to bees to little kids to clams. I am not sure if it was too early or if I was stomped by someone picking the butterfly (my first choice) but I randomly choose a little girl for the puppet. Feeling nervous, overwhelmed, and ex
cited all at the same time, I related to a little girl going to school for the first time in a new state. Being 3,000 miles away from what I knew as my life, I found myself realizing through the puppet exercise that I found myself in a familiar situation: a room full of people that are strangers, but will probably become mentors, friends, colleagues, and supervisors.
After the puppet introductions, we began the day with a module about the human experience and the end of life.
cited all at the same time, I related to a little girl going to school for the first time in a new state. Being 3,000 miles away from what I knew as my life, I found myself realizing through the puppet exercise that I found myself in a familiar situation: a room full of people that are strangers, but will probably become mentors, friends, colleagues, and supervisors. After the puppet introductions, we began the day with a module about the human experience and the end of life.
Topics:
Hospice Care vs Palliative Care
Death System
End of Life History
Interdisciplinary Hospice Team
Hospice: form of palliative care - life expectancy is six months or less - life-limiting illness - physical, emotional, and spiritual needs - patient/client and family - home, inpatient unit - team approach
Hospice Care vs Palliative Care
Death System
End of Life History
Interdisciplinary Hospice Team
Hospice: form of palliative care - life expectancy is six months or less - life-limiting illness - physical, emotional, and spiritual needs - patient/client and family - home, inpatient unit - team approach
Palliative: comfort care - relieving pain - improving quality of life - focus on symptoms - no specific diagnosis
Death Equalizes...is Universal...is across Cultures...is
defined and structured from death system. Death System: coined by Robert Kastenbaum (1977) and defined as, "the interpersonal, sociocultural, and symbolic network through which an individual's relationship to mortality is mediated by his or her society," (Kastenbaum, 2001).
Components of Death System: People, Places, Times, Objects and Symbols
Functions of Death System: Warning and Predicting Death, Caring for Dying, Disposing of the Dead, Social Isolation after Death, Making sense of Death, Killing
Stats - 90+ million Americans live with at least one chronic illness
7 out of 10 Americans die from a chronic disease
32% of Medicare spending: patients in their last two years of life
The Center for Grief Care and Counseling works on an interdisciplinary hospice team that includes a hospice doctor, spiritual care counselor, primary care doctor, registered nurse, social worker, counselor (my position), physical therapist, occupational therapist, nutritionist, volunteer, home health aides, and homemakers.
We watched a HBO special about hospice called Letting Go: A Hospice Journey - highly recommend.
San Diego Hospice Bereavement Support Service: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lcTR3aY298
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