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The Straits Times, Saturday, 8 April 2006.
Take a look at it when you are free, both educational and refreshing.

As i was flipping thru the papers this morning, i read the SATURDAY edition with care, 'cos they were talking about pallitative care, i.e. hospice care.
As i had learnt Lifespan n lifestyle development as 1 of my modules in the last sem, i got interested as the reporters reported about hospice in Singapore.
I thought this is rather educational for those who had not heard about hospice care, or didn't have the right info about hospice services.In the special report, they interviews staff in hospice care, patients, family members and even volunteers who helped out in hospice. It gave an better insight of what hospice helps this patients.. and it highlighted many points that we had missed out.
Firstly, hospice is not only for patients who are terminally ill, and definitely patients in hospice do not just wait till that day come in the hospice. Many care and support were given to these patients and family members.
In fact, 1 in 4 hospice patients walks out alive and gets to die at home.(The straits time, 2006).
In hospice, they provide pallitative care, which are not just simply medical needs, but also tend to the psychosocial, spiritual and emotional needs of the patients. They ensure that patients die in comfort and not unnecessary pain.
Next, hospice is not really a sad place to end up with, coz if you are a bacholar with no family members to take care of you when you are ill, that's a gd place that you can go, coz the staff there are caring and tries to fulfil your last wishes.( i sound like i'm promoting hospice)
"When death is inevitable and we know we can't add days to their life, we try to add life to their days." -Dr Noreen Chan, medical director of Dover Park Hospice, (The Straits Time, 2006)
It's so exciting to find out that there are many programs and events organised for these patients and some who gets better get a chance to go on outing at the zoo, or even to sentosa. Who says the only thing that the terminally ill does is to wait for the heaven gate to open.
Lastly, in one of the interview with a bedridden man who learnt how to walk in the hospice and now are back home already. Wow, it's an achievement for both the staff and the patient, and i'm proud of them.
I guess it's time for us to change our view about hospice care, and in fact we should be supportive of such services in singapore. What's more important to die in comfort and with no regrets.
What is death when you have no regrets and pain. I guess hospice is also a great place for us to learn about death and how we can overcome our fear of death and the different perspective of death. Late adulthood.... that's how it ends.
" Death in itself is not a tragedy. With every passing moment, each of us is closer to death. But if a patient dies unhappy and in pain, if families are left unsupported during this difficult period, that would be a tragedy. " - Dr Noreen Chan, medical director of Dover Park Hospice, (The Straits Time, 2006)