Caring for the Dying

"Mindfulness helps me to be with the suffering that's there and the joy that's there.  It allows me to be with reality." Sue Poloway, hospice worker

The hospice worker quoted above believes that being mindful, which sometimes means being silent, helps her help the people who are dying and the ones who love them.  She acquires mindfulness through meditation, and there are many cd's and books available to help someone with mindful meditation - with Jon Kabat Zinn being one who has research-based methods.  Poloway believes that mindfulness is what helps her see clearly and be more compassionate.  Caregivers might benefit from ways to see more clearly and be more compassionate -- with themselves and others.