People who do not know what a hospice is may imagine it is a quiet, bleak and gloomy place where dying people come to end their lives. In reality, it can be any place a terminally ill person wants to choose to be in. It can be a place that is full of life and compassion, like the Hospice of the Upper Galilee, for example.
One of the most beautiful and exciting book recently published, that illustrates this point is ‘The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes,’ by Anna McPartlin.
Molly, Rabbit’s mother, accompanies her to the hospice and there:
“Inside they took in the lush carpets, dark wood, pretty Tiffany lamps, soft furnishings and the shelf filled with books and magazines.
‘Nice,’ Molly said.
‘More like a hotel than a hospital,’ Rabbit added.
‘Yeah.’ Molly nodded. Stay calm, Molly.
‘Doesn’t even smell like a hospital.’
‘Thank Christ for that,’ Molly said.
‘Yeah,’ Rabbit agreed. ‘I’m not going to miss that.’…
‘The room was bright and comfortable, furnished with a pristine bed, a soft sofa and a reclining chair. The large window looked out onto a lush garden…”
The rest of the book describes the short weeks and the wonderful coping of Rabbit, her daughter and the rest of her family until her inevitable death in peace, tranquility and dignity. This passage explains in a few words what a hospice actually is.
The hospice of the upper galilee with the endorsement of AFHUG, provides home hospice services in order to enable terminally ill patients to end their lives decently, in an environment that is not as alienated as that of an overcrowded hospital.
Hospice services provide emotional, physical and even spiritual support. Their purpose is to make it as easy as possible for the patient in the last period of his life, to ensure that he can stay within the supportive environment of the family, in the surroundings he is familiar with; where he lived and where he would end his life, as quietly as possible, with no pain and with dignity.
The family members are also entitled to receive support, encouragement and assistance during this difficult period.
This is a service where the patient receives good medical care just as he would get in a hospital. This treatment is provided 24/7, so there is never a moment when the patient or his or her family is left without a medical-professional response.
To die with dignity is the basic right of every person.
