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Life in a Hospice: Reflections on Caring for the Dying
Highly Commended, BMA Medical Book Awards 2008 This book is about hospices, seen through the eyes of the people who work in them. Their individual voices, perspectives and stories invite readers into the day-to-day complexities of hospice life. There is growing public and professional attention to end of life care and the way dying patients and their families are treated. How can hospices make the process dignified and peaceful as possible? What sort of people dedicate their careers to helping the dying? What difficulties are they up against in providing this care, and what makes it all worthwhile?This inspirational book provides vivid, real-life accounts of hospice life from managers, doctors, nurses, carers and support staff. The thought-provoking narratives provide vital insights into the type of work undertaken in a hospice setting. They examine the differences between hospice and hospital care, and explore the challenges, personal motivations and the many ways hospices strive to meet the needs of patients and their families with sensitivity and respect. "Life in a Hospice" is enlightening reading for all healthcare professionals in palliative care, including volunteer, administrative and support staff. It is also highly recommended for nurses and others in caring roles considering a move into hospice work. Therapists, counsellors and religious leaders will discover poignant and encouraging insights, and people with a family member approaching the end of life will find the book reassuring and informative.
- GenresNonfiction
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
47 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Ann Richardson
16 books2 followersAnn Richardson has been a writer for many years. She is fascinated by other people’s thoughts, experiences and emotions and loves to write books where they can express their views in their own words.
She writes on different subjects that capture her interest for one reason or another. These include i) a book about how it feels to be a grandmother (Celebrating Grandmothers); ii) a book about people living with HIV/AIDS when there was no cure (Wise Before Their Time, Foreword by Sir Ian McKellen); and iii) a book about what it is like to work in end-of-life care (Life in a Hospice, with a Foreword by Tony Benn).
Her most recent book is completely different. It is called The Granny Who Stands on Her Head: Reflections on growing older. It is part memoir and part thoughts on why she likes being an older woman.
Ann lives with her husband in London, England.
Please visit her website http://www.annrichardson.co.uk.
She writes on different subjects that capture her interest for one reason or another. These include i) a book about how it feels to be a grandmother (Celebrating Grandmothers); ii) a book about people living with HIV/AIDS when there was no cure (Wise Before Their Time, Foreword by Sir Ian McKellen); and iii) a book about what it is like to work in end-of-life care (Life in a Hospice, with a Foreword by Tony Benn).
Her most recent book is completely different. It is called The Granny Who Stands on Her Head: Reflections on growing older. It is part memoir and part thoughts on why she likes being an older woman.
Ann lives with her husband in London, England.
Please visit her website http://www.annrichardson.co.uk.
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February 24, 2018First, I want to thank Ann Richardson and Tony Benn for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
Life in A Hospice Reflections on caring for the dying by Ann Richardson and Foreward by Tony Benn that gives you an incredible in-depth look into all the beneficial ways Hospice and their staff cares for all of their patients. Ann wrote this amazing book for people to understand the motivation behind working with this population. How much joy that it brings to them helping these individuals.
In the foreward your heart cant help but ache for Tony Benn. So many story’s of loved ones lost in his past. In the foreward he shares he shares his passion for Hospice, more about palliative care, and more about the Hospice Movement. It is very educational.
One thing I loved in the book was the interviews with the various caregivers talking about their experiences with their patients. Some had very interesting stories to share. You could tell they all really loved what they did for a living. That they genuinely cared for each patient and making a difference in their lives. That is so important in Hospice care.
This book is extremely educational and explains things like the difference between Hospice to hospital care, how to prepare for the actual death, after the death giving time for the families, and basically how to deal with the patient.
This book was very well thought out and organized. You could tell a lot of heart went into putting this together with all the interviews.
Life in A Hospice Reflections on caring for the dying by Ann Richardson and Foreward by Tony Benn that gives you an incredible in-depth look into all the beneficial ways Hospice and their staff cares for all of their patients. Ann wrote this amazing book for people to understand the motivation behind working with this population. How much joy that it brings to them helping these individuals.
In the foreward your heart cant help but ache for Tony Benn. So many story’s of loved ones lost in his past. In the foreward he shares he shares his passion for Hospice, more about palliative care, and more about the Hospice Movement. It is very educational.
One thing I loved in the book was the interviews with the various caregivers talking about their experiences with their patients. Some had very interesting stories to share. You could tell they all really loved what they did for a living. That they genuinely cared for each patient and making a difference in their lives. That is so important in Hospice care.
This book is extremely educational and explains things like the difference between Hospice to hospital care, how to prepare for the actual death, after the death giving time for the families, and basically how to deal with the patient.
This book was very well thought out and organized. You could tell a lot of heart went into putting this together with all the interviews.
May 2, 2018
My 5* review for Life In A Hospice: Reflections On Caring For The Dying by Ann Richardson. I received the kindle version of Life In a Hospice in a Netgalley read and review request by the Author, and I am so pleased I did.
This book subtitled Reflections On Caring For The Dying is a lovely moving collection of stories written by people in all walks of the end of life care profession, varying from healthcare assistants, nurses, doctors, chaplains and even a chef! They all had stories to share, experiences to be learnt from and knowledge and advice to pass on, and I was moved and overwhelmed at times by the care, compassion and honesty they portrayed. They all do such a wonderful job (which truly is a vocation) that it is so easy to forget they are human beings too and as much as they try to stay strong for the patients and relatives, they have their own lives to live too and I am sure some of them take their work home with them in their thoughts most nights.
Not many of us want to think about our death at any point in our life, but for those who are in the process of dying, it can be a wonderful thing to be given a chance of a new experience of living, and this book definitely shows that a Hospice is not necessarily a place to go to die, but to live in a different way. This book is also an educational tool and explains the difference between hospice and hospital care, how to prepare yourself and others for the actual death itself, as well as dealing with the patient and their relatives afterwards.
Ann Richardson in this amazing book truly demonstrates the wondrous gift of a good death and shows end of life care at its best.
This book subtitled Reflections On Caring For The Dying is a lovely moving collection of stories written by people in all walks of the end of life care profession, varying from healthcare assistants, nurses, doctors, chaplains and even a chef! They all had stories to share, experiences to be learnt from and knowledge and advice to pass on, and I was moved and overwhelmed at times by the care, compassion and honesty they portrayed. They all do such a wonderful job (which truly is a vocation) that it is so easy to forget they are human beings too and as much as they try to stay strong for the patients and relatives, they have their own lives to live too and I am sure some of them take their work home with them in their thoughts most nights.
Not many of us want to think about our death at any point in our life, but for those who are in the process of dying, it can be a wonderful thing to be given a chance of a new experience of living, and this book definitely shows that a Hospice is not necessarily a place to go to die, but to live in a different way. This book is also an educational tool and explains the difference between hospice and hospital care, how to prepare yourself and others for the actual death itself, as well as dealing with the patient and their relatives afterwards.
Ann Richardson in this amazing book truly demonstrates the wondrous gift of a good death and shows end of life care at its best.
August 17, 2018
I must say that this non-fiction book is a very interesting read, and was highly commended by the British Medical Association in 2008.
These are true life conversations that the author has had with people who work in hospices. These angels of mercy share their thoughts and feelings about their jobs and enlarge on the kind of end-of-life care that we don't really want to think about until it's our turn to undergo it. These conversations amongst others include care of the dying person, pain relief, dealing with relatives, and even how the body is prepared after death.
It's not all doom and gloom. Staff try to give the patients hope and encourage them to pursue their hobbies, and do not talk about death if the patient does not want to know. This type of work is obviously a vocation, and we must be thankful for these people who want to make our passage out of this world as easy as possible. All aspects of working in a hospice are discussed, and this book could also serve as an educational tool.
I have several relatives whose end-of-life experiences were in hospices, and when it comes to the dying process I personally am in favour of hospices over hospitals, as the staff are less rushed and have more time to care for the patient. Nobody runs around like headless chickens in hospices (as staff tend to do on hospital wards), and there is an overall sense of peace and serenity.
I award this very informative book 5 stars!
These are true life conversations that the author has had with people who work in hospices. These angels of mercy share their thoughts and feelings about their jobs and enlarge on the kind of end-of-life care that we don't really want to think about until it's our turn to undergo it. These conversations amongst others include care of the dying person, pain relief, dealing with relatives, and even how the body is prepared after death.
It's not all doom and gloom. Staff try to give the patients hope and encourage them to pursue their hobbies, and do not talk about death if the patient does not want to know. This type of work is obviously a vocation, and we must be thankful for these people who want to make our passage out of this world as easy as possible. All aspects of working in a hospice are discussed, and this book could also serve as an educational tool.
I have several relatives whose end-of-life experiences were in hospices, and when it comes to the dying process I personally am in favour of hospices over hospitals, as the staff are less rushed and have more time to care for the patient. Nobody runs around like headless chickens in hospices (as staff tend to do on hospital wards), and there is an overall sense of peace and serenity.
I award this very informative book 5 stars!
October 18, 2017
I was drawn to this book because I had experienced the hospice system when my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer some 15 years ago and was curious to find out what was on offer these days.
Ann Richardson states "All my books are based on the individual words of people talking about their lives." In other words, the book format is word-for-word recorded comments by the hospital work force from doctors to volunteers and chefs.
The British Medical Association praised the first edition.
The book is divided into 4 parts:
Part 1 deals with the work of the hospice and how it differs from a hospital, the needs of relatives, coming to terms with dying, the terminal phase, and I certainly identified with some of the comments.
Part 2 Tricky issues such as difficult patients and families, families in denial, nature of grief
Part 3 Motivations And Rewards. In other words, what makes the work in a hospice worthwhile.
Part 4 The qualities needed for working in a hospice: patience, sense of humour, imagination for what the patient has endured, and choosing the time of death.
I would recommend reading this book before one loses a loved one.
In the Western World, of the three certainties, Birth, Taxes and Death, only the first receives adequate preparation, so reading the book when one isn't experiencing shock at the prospective death of a loved one is a more productive exercise. Everyone would benefit from reading this comprehensive handbook, though of course it specifically helps those facing the death process now.
Ann Richardson states "All my books are based on the individual words of people talking about their lives." In other words, the book format is word-for-word recorded comments by the hospital work force from doctors to volunteers and chefs.
The British Medical Association praised the first edition.
The book is divided into 4 parts:
Part 1 deals with the work of the hospice and how it differs from a hospital, the needs of relatives, coming to terms with dying, the terminal phase, and I certainly identified with some of the comments.
Part 2 Tricky issues such as difficult patients and families, families in denial, nature of grief
Part 3 Motivations And Rewards. In other words, what makes the work in a hospice worthwhile.
Part 4 The qualities needed for working in a hospice: patience, sense of humour, imagination for what the patient has endured, and choosing the time of death.
I would recommend reading this book before one loses a loved one.
In the Western World, of the three certainties, Birth, Taxes and Death, only the first receives adequate preparation, so reading the book when one isn't experiencing shock at the prospective death of a loved one is a more productive exercise. Everyone would benefit from reading this comprehensive handbook, though of course it specifically helps those facing the death process now.
July 12, 2023
If you have ever wondered: what is Hospice? Who gets Hospice, why do we need it? Who works in Hospice, what is it like, and how can they possibly do it? Then, this book is for you. The chapters cover all of these questions, and education is provided by Hospice workers themselves. Recommended.
I became a Hospice volunteer five months ago and each book I’ve read about death/dying, and Hospice care, including this one, have all been very helpful.
I became a Hospice volunteer five months ago and each book I’ve read about death/dying, and Hospice care, including this one, have all been very helpful.
April 18, 2018
End of life care is a topic that doesn’t tend to come up in everyday conversations, no one wants to think about how they are going to end their days but for some people that is the reality, they live every day. Ann Richardson sits down with 31 real people who work in two different hospices within the UK, from the head nurse, head of hospice, chef, Chaplin, nurses, therapists and doctors.
The vast majority of people do not realise what happens in the hospices, they just know it’s a place for people who are going to pass soon. We get to see the range of things staff have to deal with on a day to day basis. The staff deal with the patients in their care but also deal with their relatives and friends, no one deals with death and grief the same but the staff have to manage these.
The book is a real eye-opener and is a must for people who are thinking they might want to work in a hospice, we get to understand the highs and lows of everyday life in the hospice and how the staff cope and the impact they have.
Thanks to Ann Richardson, BooksGoSocial and Netgallery for the ARC, but as always the thoughts in the review are all mine!
The vast majority of people do not realise what happens in the hospices, they just know it’s a place for people who are going to pass soon. We get to see the range of things staff have to deal with on a day to day basis. The staff deal with the patients in their care but also deal with their relatives and friends, no one deals with death and grief the same but the staff have to manage these.
The book is a real eye-opener and is a must for people who are thinking they might want to work in a hospice, we get to understand the highs and lows of everyday life in the hospice and how the staff cope and the impact they have.
Thanks to Ann Richardson, BooksGoSocial and Netgallery for the ARC, but as always the thoughts in the review are all mine!
April 28, 2018
This is a thoughtful and well-researched book that examines all aspects of hospice care - from the practicalities of what happens to the feelings and thoughts of staff.
The author has interviewed staff in hospices from a chef to nurses and social workers. She really lets them tell the story through parts of their interviews.
This has the advantage of really giving the power and voice to the staff, but the reason I’ve given this four stars and not five is that it did make me feel a little like I was reading a research paper and the style dampened my sense of the emotion a little, for me. I fully recognise, however, that this book will be so important for others - especially those with experience of hospices.
However, it is a brave book - not afraid to confront both the sadness and the opportunity that comes from working with people at the end of their lives. I would recommend it to anyone who really wants to understand hospice life and what a good death really means.
I was given this book to read for free, in return for an honest review.
The author has interviewed staff in hospices from a chef to nurses and social workers. She really lets them tell the story through parts of their interviews.
This has the advantage of really giving the power and voice to the staff, but the reason I’ve given this four stars and not five is that it did make me feel a little like I was reading a research paper and the style dampened my sense of the emotion a little, for me. I fully recognise, however, that this book will be so important for others - especially those with experience of hospices.
However, it is a brave book - not afraid to confront both the sadness and the opportunity that comes from working with people at the end of their lives. I would recommend it to anyone who really wants to understand hospice life and what a good death really means.
I was given this book to read for free, in return for an honest review.
March 20, 2018
This was a very good read. I didnt realize that Hospice care did so much. I must admit, when I hear the word "hospice", I think someone is going there to die. This book lets you know that so much more is done at this type of faciltiy. The breakdown of the book is also very interesting. We hear from people in different roles as well as the families of what goes on in hospice. I always thought there were certain jobs that take special people to do and this is one of them. Thank you to all that work to make one's possible final days one filled with care, dignity and pain controlled. I will no longer look at a hospice faciltiy the same again. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
May 30, 2022
Death With Dignity and With Little Pain Is What It’s All About
Until someone has experienced the death of a loved one, the whole idea of palliative care for those that are dying is not given a thought. This book presents in a second edition what the Hospice movement in Britain is all about, told with the words from all who are involved in giving end-of-life care. This is a must read for anyone contemplating going into this field. It is also a good read for any of us who have a loved one approaching death or an extended terminal illness. And of course, older readers can take solace in knowing that the end does not have to be all pain and suffering, but that there is a corps of dedicated individuals ready to make this final transition as easy as possible.
Until someone has experienced the death of a loved one, the whole idea of palliative care for those that are dying is not given a thought. This book presents in a second edition what the Hospice movement in Britain is all about, told with the words from all who are involved in giving end-of-life care. This is a must read for anyone contemplating going into this field. It is also a good read for any of us who have a loved one approaching death or an extended terminal illness. And of course, older readers can take solace in knowing that the end does not have to be all pain and suffering, but that there is a corps of dedicated individuals ready to make this final transition as easy as possible.
June 27, 2022
Ann Richardson has written a great book if you're hoping to hear the diverse voices of hospice workers.
Ann's voice is in the background.
Most of the text is made up of hospice workers who share their experiences.
The book is grouped in themes to bring cohesion.
Sometimes it feels like a semi-random assortment of quotes or more like a compendium or anthology of hospice opinions rather than one coherent point of view.
Overall, it's an excellent book for anyone who expects to die one day. ;)
Ann's voice is in the background.
Most of the text is made up of hospice workers who share their experiences.
The book is grouped in themes to bring cohesion.
Sometimes it feels like a semi-random assortment of quotes or more like a compendium or anthology of hospice opinions rather than one coherent point of view.
Overall, it's an excellent book for anyone who expects to die one day. ;)
May 3, 2018
Three and a half star rating.
Informative, with contributions from people who work or have dealings with these wonderful places. Dealing with all aspects of hospices. Ensuring that no one need fear of either sending a relative or going into one in their final days or weeks. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Informative, with contributions from people who work or have dealings with these wonderful places. Dealing with all aspects of hospices. Ensuring that no one need fear of either sending a relative or going into one in their final days or weeks. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2019
Refreshingly Delightful
Who would think a book about a hospice would be so enjoyable? I learned so much. It’s such a wonderful place to live and die. The people who work there learn to live life to the fullest. The author has done amazing research and covers a vast array of subjects. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Who would think a book about a hospice would be so enjoyable? I learned so much. It’s such a wonderful place to live and die. The people who work there learn to live life to the fullest. The author has done amazing research and covers a vast array of subjects. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
October 13, 2017
Ann Richardson has looked at the world of the hospice from the inside out, documenting the experiences of professionals, managers, staff and family. Her approach to this topic is both unique and thorough, an excellent resource for anyone curious about how hospices function.
October 30, 2018
A really good insight to what a hospice is, the people who work there and end of life care. Having first hand experience of a hospice when my Mum was terminally ill helped to understand the various accounts explained in the book. A really good read.
November 8, 2019
It was interesting as this book is based out of UK to see how hospice there differs from the US in someways.
March 14, 2021
This makes me want to go apply for a job in a hospice.
August 23, 2021
What everyone needs to know about death
I found this book full of compassion care and dignity for the dying I would recommend it to everyone such a great read
I found this book full of compassion care and dignity for the dying I would recommend it to everyone such a great read
March 23, 2017
A good death, a great book
Ann has completed a work, in this book, that shows her commitment to her craft. She cares about all aspects of hospice from the patient, family and workers such as nurses, chaplains, etc.
A good death is relative to the culture. In "Legends of the Fall", the narrator, a Native American, in the 1800's, felt the death of the main character by a Grizzly bear, was "a good death".
Ann has completed a work, in this book, that shows her commitment to her craft. She cares about all aspects of hospice from the patient, family and workers such as nurses, chaplains, etc.
A good death is relative to the culture. In "Legends of the Fall", the narrator, a Native American, in the 1800's, felt the death of the main character by a Grizzly bear, was "a good death".
October 6, 2021
Firstly, this book wouldn’t be for everyone. I read this book after my nan sadly passed away, before which she spent periods in and out of a hospice. The hospice staff were just amazing. Nothing was too much trouble, they would spend however long talking to the patients and their families, not like doctors and nurses in NHS settings where they don’t have the time to spend. The place was like a home from home it was so lovely and after my nan passed away I chose to read this book as I wanted to read a story from their side, the staff. The book contained extracts from various members of staff and even volunteers from the hospice and also contained real stories of patients they have met and their families.
I would recommend this to anybody who has a loved one at that stage of life, and see things from the staff perspectives.
May 16, 2019
My grandmother was in Hospice for a very short time before she died. I had gone to visit her only once in that time. While I'm in the US and Ann Richards is writing about Hospice in the UK, my experience was very similar to that of her description in the book. The hospital is no place to be for an extended stay if you're going to die; they're simply not set up for it so cannot provide the proper care. Ann's description of warmer less clinical environment is right on the money to my own experience and felt more like a retirement home rather than a sterile place one goes to expire.
No one wants to think about death, so I give the staff at Hospice a lot of credit for doing what they do. I was particularly interested in how the staff handled people of different backgrounds. It seemed to complicate things mostly, especially when that person didn't speak English. People of different religious and ethnic backgrounds deal with death very differently:
"We had a Muslim gentleman some weeks ago and the family warned us that there would be lots of chanting.
So we put the patient in a room that we knew wouldn't affect the rest of the building and we shut the door -
the women fell the floor, they wailed, they banged their chests, the men were chanting ..."
I'm sorry, but this was hysterical:
"We had a sikh gentleman who died and the family wanted him moved straightaway. They wanted to put him into the boot of the car. Our nurses found that very difficult - they really didn't want to help this family put this person in the boot of the car."
Overall, a great Hospice-advocacy book but more because it really goes into detail of how the places are run and how the staff deal with death on an almost daily basis.
No one wants to think about death, so I give the staff at Hospice a lot of credit for doing what they do. I was particularly interested in how the staff handled people of different backgrounds. It seemed to complicate things mostly, especially when that person didn't speak English. People of different religious and ethnic backgrounds deal with death very differently:
"We had a Muslim gentleman some weeks ago and the family warned us that there would be lots of chanting.
So we put the patient in a room that we knew wouldn't affect the rest of the building and we shut the door -
the women fell the floor, they wailed, they banged their chests, the men were chanting ..."
I'm sorry, but this was hysterical:
"We had a sikh gentleman who died and the family wanted him moved straightaway. They wanted to put him into the boot of the car. Our nurses found that very difficult - they really didn't want to help this family put this person in the boot of the car."
Overall, a great Hospice-advocacy book but more because it really goes into detail of how the places are run and how the staff deal with death on an almost daily basis.
April 5, 2018
"Life in a Hospice: Reflections on Caring for the Dying" by Ann Richardson will be interesting to many of us. Caretakers everywhere would benefit from reading this book. There are so many reasons out there to want palliative care for yourself or you loved one. This book really opens our eyes and helps us to understand some of the many things that affect hospice care. If you are thinking of quality care for "end of life" situations either for yourself or someone you love, this may be a book you want to peruse to see some of the considerations to think about. It would be an excellent resource for anyone thinking of getting into this kind of job. I highly recommend this book to all who are looking for information and answers on this topic.
April 19, 2018
As a hospice volunteer, I well know the beauty that can occur at the end of life. This book is a beautifully written and thoughtful explanation of much of what occurs in a hospice. The advice is helpful for us all whether we are dealing with the death of a loved one or seeking knowledge about our own passing. Recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
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