The community and the dying.
The St. Barnabas Committee is a voluntary group whose members are concerned with the quality of life of the dying person. They focus their work on advocacy for needed programs, on public education, and on supportive visiting with dying patients and the network of family, friends, and staff who interact with those patients. Decrying the trend to professionalize and institutionalize services that meet basic human needs, this article describes the St. Barnabas Hospice Committee as an example of community members trying to take care of their own. The role of the psychologist as a consultant rather than leader is discussed.
Noll
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Sampsell
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D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011586:Psychology, Clinical; D011788:Quality of Life; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014789:Visitors to Patients; D014838:Volunteers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*