Compassionate Care: prog B Y
M A R Y
B R O L L E Y
Gale Smith sat at her desk typing a news release for distribution when the phone rang. As a public relations manager with The Methodist Hospital System, she often receives urgent phone calls from the media requesting an interview with a physician or patient. Smith knew she had to respond immediately, but this call wasn’t a media request. She needed to visit a patient at The Methodist Hospital, and she needed to get there quickly. Smith drove to the hospital, clumps of traffic making the minutes drag. Nevertheless, within a half hour she was at the bedside of a dying woman. For several hours, Smith sat with the patient, speaking gently and reading Bible verses. She remembered from previous visits that the Book of
Psalms was one of the woman’s favorites. When the woman struggled to breathe, Smith touched her hand and quietly said, “If you need to go now, it’s okay.” Shortly after, the patient took her last breath. Smith will never forget this poignant experience. For the past year, she has volunteered for two innovative Methodist programs designed to provide companionship and human comfort for hospitalized patients, even in their final hours. Established by the hospital’s Spiritual Care and Education Department, the No One Dies Alone program offers a human touch for terminally ill patients who may be isolated from family and friends. Specially trained Methodist employees and other volunteers provide a bedside presence for these patients. Volunteers comfort patients by offering reassuring words, playing soothing music or reading aloud. These caring expressions create a calming atmosphere, which can lessen a patient’s fear, loneliness or anxiety.
Gale Smith is a volunteer with the No One Dies Alone program.
28 䡲 VOLUME 5, NUMBER 1
METHODISTHEALTH.COM
