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DianaR · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 4:22 am Post subject: **Hospice Care**

One of my most memorable experiences was volunteering at an AIDS Hospice, which is akin to promising to be someone's best friend through their last days. Even though I was aware that the fellow I was spending my volunteer time with was going to die, it was still difficult to remember that on his good days.

What was most interesting was the reactions of other people, when I told them of my volunteer work. One of their first reactions was "what if he dies?", which used to crack me up because it IS a hospice, not a hotel. By definition these are his last days.

digitaljohn · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:01 am Post subject:

I've never done anything quite like that, but I think it would be a great experience. I may check into volunteering somewhere. I'm sure the experience was invaluable, even though you knew that the people at the hospice were going to die.

Simplyme · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:50 am Post subject:

A lady that I dealt with through my Mom did volunteer work with last stage patients and found that quite often people closest to her acted as if she herself were infected. She was obviously upset by this but it only made her want to do it more and she now helps spread the word and works her weekends doing a needle exchange program in Tacoma, WA area.

It is wonderful work and a very honorable thing for you to do. So many of these people lose their loved ones due to ignorance about HIV so it is nice that their is someone for these people to turn to.

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Hospice Care