Keeping Vigil With A Dying Resident

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 links. 

Several months ago, I published a post about Understanding the Dying Process in which I mentioned a program at our nursing home called Garden Angels. A reader recently asked for more details about our program, and I’m happy to share that information with you today.

Someone at our nursing home came up with the name Garden Angels several years ago, but there are similar programs across the country. We are simply a group of volunteers who keep vigil at the bedside of residents who are actively dying.

We hope that a dying resident will always have a family member or friend at their bedside when they leave this life. However, this is not always possible.

Purpose

When it appears that a resident is in the dying process, either the chaplain, a nurse, or the social worker will offer the resident and/or family the option of a Garden Angel volunteer. We generally step in during one of these situations:

• A resident has no family or is estranged from their family.
• A resident declines suddenly and it will take some time for their family to arrive.
• Family members have been at the bedside for a long time and need a break to shower, eat a good meal, or sleep.

Responsibilities

The role of a Garden Angel volunteer varies depending upon the needs and requests of an individual resident. When I’m called to the facility, I always receive a brief report from the nurse and they let me know how I can best serve the resident. This might include:

• Reading to the resident
• Singing or playing a musical instrument
• Praying for or with a resident
• Holding a hand
• Simply sitting quietly beside the resident’s bed
• Listening if the resident wishes to talk

We never provide physical care for a resident. If it appears that a resident is in pain, needs help with repositioning, etc., we always notify the caregivers.

Each Garden Angel generally spends about 3-4 hours at a time with a resident. This is flexible depending upon the availability of volunteers.

Qualities

When you stop and think about it, keeping vigil beside a resident preparing to leave this life is an enormous honor, privilege, and responsibility. It takes a special person to sit with a dying resident, and not everyone feels comfortable in this role. These are some of the qualities we look for in a Garden Angel volunteer:

• Communicates well with residents, family members, and caregivers
• Good listener
• Comfortable with long periods of silence and simply sitting quietly with a resident
• Nonjudgmental of customs or beliefs that are different than their own
• Able to remain calm and supportive during the dying experience

Requirements

Since assignments as Garden Angels are unpredictable, volunteers aren’t asked to make a specific time commitment. I can go for months without a call, and then suddenly two residents need Garden Angels at the same time, and we scramble to get enough volunteers.

While policies vary from one nursing home to the next, these are a few common requirements of volunteers:

• Usually, need to be over the age of 18
• Provide personal references
• Interview (usually with the volunteer coordinator and/or chaplain)
• Possibly a criminal background check and a drug screen

Training

I didn’t go through a formal orientation program to become a Garden Angel since I once worked as a nurse at the facility, and I’m also a former hospice nurse. However, for the vast majority of volunteers, I believe a training program is crucial. Important topics to cover during these classes include:

• What to expect during the dying process
• How to provide supportive communication with residents and families
• The grieving process
• Cultural and religious traditions related to dying
• Confidentiality
• Infection control

It’s also helpful to have periodic meetings with volunteers and their supervisor. This is an opportunity to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss difficult experiences.

 

Do you have any other questions about our Garden Angel volunteers? If you have a similar program at your nursing home, I would love to see your suggestions in the comment section.