Sheila, in her late 40s, is a volunteer medical escort at Agape Methodist Hospice (Homecare). She will tell you that you won’t need to have any medical background to become such an escort.
A Helping Arm for Patients and Caregivers
Rose, in her 50s, was a colon cancer patient assigned to Sheila. She needed to undergo chemotherapy once a week. Being too frail, she could not be allowed to go for her medical appointments alone even with free transport. Sheila would pick Rose up from her home in her car to the hospital, help her register her attendance and wait patiently with
her at various stations – consulting, treatment, diagnostics, and the pharmacy. The companionship between the two blossomed into a strong friendship.
Sheila was with Rose when the latter received the bad news that no further treatment would help. Rose could have been shattered but Sheila was her pillar of support.
Alleviating Mental Pain
Sheila says mental pain aggravates physical pain. To ease the mental burden faced by patients and those close to them, Sheila chats with them. She celebrates the birthdays of patients and tries to fulfill their last wishes. She keeps them company till the end and attends their funeral whenever patients pass away.
Taking a Leaf from More Experienced Volunteers
Edlin, the Medical Social Worker at AMH Homecare, says that Sheila is a stellar volunteer. It is hard enough to recruit volunteers, let alone outstanding ones. To help prospective volunteers understand what is in store in offering their services, training is conducted. Sharing sessions are held too for volunteers to learn from each other, especially
from those who are more experienced.
Sally, a zone leader for AMH’s volunteers, said: “When you spend time with patients, you chat with them and give
them an outlet to express themselves. You’re not expected to counsel them, dish out advice or help them accept their situation – it is good enough that you provide a listening ear. Often, that, and simply your presence beside them,
provide much comfort to the patients and assure them that they are not alone in their journey.”