Introduction:

1. What is your name?
Sarah Alsen

2. Which hospice do you work for?
Highway Hospice

3. What do you do there?
Homecare Sister

4. How long have you been there?
4 years

In-depth:

1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
Death with dignity is important, as is a pain and symptom free death.

2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
Walking in nature.

3. What do you find the most challenging?
Helping the family (and sometimes the patient) to accept it.

4. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
The “can do” attitude.

5. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
Try to meditate or exercise 3 to 4 times a week.

6. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
Come, we need more health professionals doing PC.

7. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
None of us will escape death. Acceptance is key to a peaceful death.

8. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
Get all the support you can from others. Cherish each day with your loved on, as if it were their last.

9. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
Too sad to do every day.

10. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
It does good and meaningful work.

11. Do you have a “motto” that you tend to live by that you would like to share?
Live in the moment and don’t have expectations as they can lead to disappointment. “Yesterday’s history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is the present so appreciate the gift.