11/15/2023 (Wed) Caring for Children and Youth Loss and Grief

We were all children once, and when we are faced with the first serious illness in our lives or the death of a significant loved one, we more or less feel confused, scared, worried, and even guilty ..... However, the love and protection of Chinese parents can sometimes be overwhelming. When a serious illness or death occurs in the family, the feelings and needs of the minor child are sometimes unintentionally ignored and often deliberately isolated as the only outsider. However, these protections invariably become deep regrets that cannot be repaired. These regrets can affect how a person approaches life, love and emotions, interpersonal interactions, and attitudes towards life in the future. ...... When we finally grow into adulthood, if our children or descendants are experiencing the first major loss of their young lives, can you remember what kind of companionship and comfort your once-self needed as a child? Comfort? Can we, through our own recollections and reflections, give our children the appropriate support and care so that serious illness and death are no longer just the negative effects of helplessness and powerlessness, but the positive forces of gentleness, compassion and gratitude for life?

Facing Death with Love

Your love brings warmth to those facing death.

Pasted on the bulletin board in the office of Heart of Hope where thank-you letters are posted is an offering of a $50 check made payable to “x Volunteer.” This non-negotiable check tells of a moving story of friendship between a telephone care volunteer and a sick and poor single parent….

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Nationwide toll-free telephone hotline 1-888-663-8585 to provide emotional support for seriously ill patients and their family caregivers
A group of trained and supervised Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking volunteers provide compassionate listening ears to patients with serious illness and their caregivers. This free hotline service is available during the office hours (Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm).

Nationwide telephone conference in Mandarin for health-related education
A nationwide toll-free teleconference (presented in Mandarin) for Chinese patients with serious illnesses and their family caregivers is scheduled on the third Thursday of every month, 6-7 pm (Pacific Time). Registered callers can learn about elderly care, serious illnesses and related issues at the comfort of their homes. Each teleconference includes a 35-minute presentation by an expert of the subject and a 20-minute Q&A session for callers to interact with the speaker.

Purpose: Through sharing of personal experience, video watching, practicing communication skills, discussion of cancer-related information, and other creative activities, Rainbow Support Group seeks to provide emotional and spiritual support to people with breast or gynecologic cancers, whether they are in treatment or recovery. Group members will receive mutual encouragement and comfort to face their own struggles and challenges.

Target group: Females with breast or gynecologic cancers (such as cervical, ovarian, uterine, and vaginal). All patients in treatment, in remission, or in late stage (still self-dependent) are welcome; Date: March 2018 -  January 2019 (3rd Wed of the month) Time: 10:30am -12:30pm; Location: Heart of Hope Asian American Hospice Care, 1922 The Alameda, Suite 215, San Jose, CA 95126 (Parking entrance by McKendrie St, accessible by VTA bus #22)

Registration: Call 1-408-986-8584 to register in advance

Heart of Hope Asian American Hospice Care has published a bilingual Chinese/English "Waving Goodbye in Love - The Last Journey in My Life" to provide education to terminally ill patients and family members. This handbook is written by Blanche Chen, LCSW, Co-Founder, and Pauline Nee, RN, Advisor, of the hospice. The handbook uses a first person's narration of a terminally ill patient to describe the changes taking place in the body, mind, and spirit of the last 6 months in life.

Death is inevitable, but for terminally ill patients actually facing it, the process is not an easy one. Most people fear of suffering and loneliness, and some people felt it is hopeless. Due to language and cultural barriers, many Chinese and Asian American terminally ill patients failed to make full use of the best resources, hospice care, which is available in the mainstream society for terminally ill patients and family members.

If you would like to financially support Heart of Hope Asian American Hospice Care with cash donation, appreciated stocks or property, life insurance, or bequest, please contact (408)986-8584. Checks can be made and sent to Heart of Hope Asian American Hospice Care, 1879 Lundy Ave, suite # 223 San Jose, CA 95131. Heart of Hope Asian American Hospice Care will issue receipts to donors for tax purpose.