Theists, nihilists, naturalists, Mormons, and basically everyone in the world have something in common: they're all going to die. Even as death is a scary thought, the idea that one may finish his life basically alone is downright terrifying. Some of us have close family members, but sometimes that is not the case. Hospice is a great program that helps a person transition from this life to the next. Besides the medical care hospice provides, it also has another spectacular service: companionship. There are many more reasons, but the following list will explain the five best reasons to become a hospice volunteer.
1. Philanthropism
People who are in their last days can experience great pain and anxiety. Medications can only do so much; as a pharmacist, I should know! As a volunteer it gives one the great opportunity of listening to a vastly different experience. For instance, the hospice patient I visit discussed his past ventures in the Navy. It may sound like a selfish reason, but it truly gives the storyteller a great sense of worth. Simply having someone there to listen to their story is greatly impressing on the soul, even if the listener is a stranger. It benefits the patient, you, and society as a whole because the more good done equates to more good in the world. With all of the evil in the news, a good dose of good helps block off the demons.
2. Voluntarism
Life can become overwhelming with self-interested tasks. Our schedules can also include many meaningless things. The opportunity to volunteer will help us utilize our time in an infinitely better way. For instance, missing a trip to the gym to visit a hospice patient. Both are typically considered good options, but the visit is exponentially better than a workout session. How much easier is it when compared to binging on Netflix shows? This type of volunteering also helps us schedule our time better. Not only are we using our time better, but it helps people like me that have a hard time keeping organized appreciate a detailed schedule.
3. Fostering a Gregarious Life
With the advent of social media, our society has suffered greatly in terms of sociability. The common example is the group of teenagers that meet up to stare at their phones. It may be somewhat of an overused and exaggerated example, but the point is not missed. We are becoming less and less sociable. It can be somewhat awkward to spend a prolonged period of time talking to a complete stranger. However, the experience teaches you how to better listen, relate, and learn more about human experience.
4. Effective Altruism
Not only is it important that we insert meaningful tasks into our lives, the tasks themselves ought to be effective. By this point, I hope I convinced you that spending a little time with a hospice patient is an effective method of philanthropy. There are some philanthropic methods that are not a good use of our time or finances (to keep this a positive experience, I can expound at a different time on poor philanthropic methods). As I stated earlier, the amount of good that this type of volunteering creates for both parties is significant. A pertinent example includes the hospice patient's caretaker which is typically a family member or close friend. As they are trying to juggle their own lives, it can become stressful to add taking care of a loved one. As a volunteer, you give the caretaker a break and peace of mind that someone is with their loved one.
5. Humanism
When it comes down to it, we should become a hospice volunteer because we love one another. In a previous article, I discussed the importance of loving one another. This is such a beautiful way to show a person going through such a hard time in their lives that they don't have to go through it alone. I became a hospice volunteer because my outlook on life is to care for those that can't help themselves. I'm not insinuating hospice patients are helpless, but they are in a position in which they can't remedy their condition. Even if our worldview differs, it doesn't excuse us from one loving one another.
