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Enhancing the Lives of Nursing Home Residents One Volunteer at a Time

Diane

How To Serve As A Death Doula

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Hands of young person holding hands of elderly person

You’ve probably heard of a birth doula who provides support for a mom as she brings a new life into this world. But have you ever heard of a death doula?

A death doula (also known as an end-of-life doula) helps complete the circle of life. They support a patient and their family as the patient leaves this world through death.

What is the role of a death doula?

The death doula provides emotional, spiritual, and physical support depending on the unique needs of each patient and their family. Services may include:

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4 Unique Volunteer Programs Benefiting Elders

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This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my link.

Four adults wearing volunteer T-shirts

It’s great to volunteer as an individual at a nursing home. Yet, sometimes it’s beneficial to volunteer with an established organization. Then you can benefit from their experience, resources, and support.

Today I’m highlighting four organizations that provide volunteers with opportunities to serve elders in a variety of settings, including senior living communities. You can find even more creative volunteer programs in this previous post.

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How To Encourage Staff Participation

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This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my link.

Woman holding bouquet of balloons

In my recent article about celebrating National Potato Day, I included a few ways to get staff involved in celebrating this little-known holiday. A reader responded by sharing a frustration.

This reader said she works hard to plan activities at her nursing home that include staff participation. But it’s like pulling teeth to get staff interested and involved.

I understand her concern, as we faced the same challenge at a few of my former workplaces. While I don’t have a perfect solution, I know these ten tips will help.

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Let’s Celebrate National Potato Day

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Bag of potatoes

Today I’m featuring another in my series of articles highlighting little-known holidays you’ll enjoy celebrating at your nursing home. National Potato Day falls on August 19 every year, and you’ll want to add it to your calendar. Here are seven fun activities to celebrate the day:

1. The humble potato makes for a terrific topic of discussion. For example, you can get a group of residents together and talk about:

  • Unusual uses for potatoes: Check out these 30 unique ideas. Find out if any of your residents have tried any of these tips. (I used a potato to remove a broken light bulb, and it really does work!)
  • Potato trivia: Be sure to share these 37 fun potato facts. (Did you know the potato was the first vegetable grown in space?)
  • Find out how many of your residents played with Potato Head toys when they were children. Then share the history of these famous toys.

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An Update On My Cancer Journey

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This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my link.Woman holding a pink breast cancer ribbon

A few of you have asked for an update on my cancer journey. I appreciate your concern and your prayers.

The past few weeks brought on a new challenge. Some of my lab values fell too low for me to receive chemotherapy safely. While I feel better when I’m not on chemo, it concerns me that I’m missing treatments.

My oncologist recently left the clinic, so my daughter and I will meet with my new physician tomorrow. I’m eager to hear what new treatment options he might offer.

At the time of my diagnosis, I shared my belief that every challenge we face in life can bring important lessons. Here’s the latest lesson I’ve learned.

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