A contemplative care approach to training and supporting hospice volunteers: a prospective study of spiritual practice, well-being, and fear of death.

Background: Inspired by a 2,500-year-old Buddhist tradition, the Zen Hospice Project (ZHP) provides residential hospice care, volunteer programs, and educational efforts that cultivate wisdom and compassion in service.

Objective: The present study was designed to understand how being with dying hospice residents affects hospice volunteers well-being and the role of spiritual practice in ameliorating the fear of death.

Design: A one-year longitudinal study of two volunteer cohorts (N = 24 and N = 22) with repeated measures of spiritual practice, well-being, and hospice performance during one-year service as volunteers.

Frank Ostaseski. Interview by Joe Flower.

The founder of the Zen Hospice Project talks about living and dying. Many hospitals, he says, have progressive programs that help their employees, patients, and family members reduce their stress.