Gina, though, needed what
Hospice -is giving her: time
to herself.
"I guess you could say
that I'm burning out on
this," she said. "Hospice
has been helping my
brother in his death, but
saving my life as well."
What really appealed to
the Glassgolds was the
concept behind the Hospice
of Southeastern Michigan.
Hospice was founded on the
premise that death is part
of life, and that one is often
best served by dying at
home with loved ones and
in familiar surroundings.
Many of the Oakland
County Hospice patients
are Jews. Nationally,
Hospices are also depart-
ments in several Jewish-
based. hospitals. There is
even a National Institute
for Jewish Hospice (NIJH)
that, through its data base,
offers counseling referrals
and other services.
But there is still a ques-
tion among many Jews as
to how Judaism views the
concepts of Hospice.
Judaism clearly calls for
aggressiveness when it
comes to saving a life,
which is considered sacred.
But then there is the clear
examination of an in-
dividual's life. Is life lying
in a coma with tubes keep-
ing a person alive? Or is
life allowing a terminally
ill patient to control his
pain without suffering the
side effects of anti-cancer
drugs. There are Jews who
believe in Hospice, and
there are those who believe
that for some it's fine; for
others it isn't.
Hospice patients are
terminally ill with usually
six months or less to live.
They are generally fin-
ished with the che-
motherapy and the ra-
diation and the side effects.
They've traded in the
curative for the palliative.
They want a way to handle
the pain and move on.
Hospice will help them
control the pain usually in
48 hours.
Rabbi Maurice Lamm,
author of The Jewish Way
of Death and Mourn-
ing, said that something
was spiritually missing
from Hospices nationwide
when it came to Jewish
issues and religious prac-
tices. That was one of the
reasons he founded the
NIJH. Based in Palm Spr-
ings, Calif., NIJH offers
data and counseling via an
800 phone number.
Through its data bank,
NIJH can recommend a
doctor or Hospice almost
anywhere in the country. It
also provides the expertise
of a social worker and con-
sultation for non-Jewish
health professionals and
clergy working with Jew-
ish patients.
Jewish law calls for the
upholding of life to the last
breath when possible. But
working with the terminal-
ly ill is a question of chesed,
benevolence, as well as
Halachah, Jewish law; accor-
ding to Rabbi Lamm.
Rabbi Lamm, who is Or-
thodox, said that Hospice is
the performance of the
ultimate in Jewish medical
ethics, how to help a person
cope while he is dying.
People, he added, have con-
cerned themselves so long
with death, but they don't
concern themselves enough
with how to treat a person
at his dying moment.
"Unfortunately, doctors
sometimes don't even know
the name of their patient in
the hospital; he's just the
incurable person in room
214," Rabbi Lamm said.
"Also, time frames of how
long a person might live
are given out too frivolous-
ly. The first rule of a Jewish
Hospice is the implemen-
tation of chesed."
Those who use NIJH ser-
vices are often Jews enroll-
ed in community or
hospital-based Hospices in
their city or county. These
Above:
Gina Glassgold
sits with her
brother, Pete, in a
bedroom of her
Ferndale home.
Opposite:
Pete Glassgold is
living the rest of
his life under