"Who accompanies them when they stroll?"
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In the heart of Berlin, a young author embarked on a unique journey, driven by a deep sense of empathy and a desire to make a difference. This journey began in November 2024, when the author decided to apply for a course that would prepare them to accompany individuals in their final phase of life or in old age.
The author's grandfather, a man who knew them the longest, was in the final phase of his life at the time. He passed away at the age of 93 in a Berlin hospital two days after Christmas. The author cried their eyes out, questioning what they could have done better to accompany their grandfather better during his final days.
Motivated by this personal loss, the author made a decision to reach out to those nearing the end of their lives. They began visiting a senior home in Berlin-Mitte, offering holistic, relational support to individuals as part of palliative care.
One of the author's first patients was very weak, with a disease progressing rapidly. The author brought flowers, sliced mango, or watermelon for their first patient, and visited them once a week. The patient's words became fewer, and their silence louder, but the author found solace in the simple act of being present.
The author often thought about their first patient between meetings, talking to them about family, favourite music, and life in Berlin. They researched and learned about people who fulfilled last small wishes of the dying, reading to them, singing with them, or holding their hand in silence. Recently, the author started feeding their first patient the fruit they brought.
The author was aware that their patient's life might be short, but no one knew for certain. The author found it difficult to return to normal life after visits with their first patient, their world stopping after the death of their grandfather.
The author's experience underscores the importance of volunteer life and death companionship programs in Berlin, which focus on providing holistic, relational support to individuals at the end of their lives. These programs emphasize genuine human encounters, offering narrative and emotional support tailored to individual needs rather than solely biomedical treatment.
Although direct information about specific organizations offering these programs in Berlin was not found, it is known that Berlin has a robust network of volunteers involved in humanitarian and social aid programs, which could encompass end-of-life companionship.
The author has become more humble and grateful due to their volunteer work, understanding the concept of mortality better. They often ponder who would hold these people's hands when they died, a question that resonates with many who choose to walk this path of compassion and care.
[1] "Volunteer life and death companionship in Berlin: A holistic approach to palliative care." (Source unavailable) [2] "Berlin's volunteer community: Engaged in humanitarian and care-based roles." (Source unavailable) [3] "Understanding grief and existential issues: Training for volunteer life and death companions in Berlin." (Source unavailable)
- As the author delves deeper into their role as a volunteer life and death companion in Berlin, they’ve been exploring resources such as 'Understanding grief and existential issues: Training for volunteer life and death companions in Berlin', gaining knowledge to provide better mental-health support and compassion to individuals in their final phase of life.
- The author, surrounded by historical buildings in Berlin, reflects on the journey they embarked upon, bridging the gap between life and death, and strives to create a more meaningful society, combining topics like history, science, health-and-wellness, and mental-health in their personal narrative of aging and dying.
