Home hospice care and the arts: Arts @ the Bedside

The arts, in their multiplicity of forms, have shown to be of benefit to patients in healthcare settings and their family members. Benefits can include expression, relaxation, and distraction. Arts @ the Bedside, an initiative of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York Hospice Care, sought to train hospice volunteers with an art background, or interest, to safely and confidently introduce the arts in a variety of mediums to hospice patients and families. Monthly trainings sessions, led by professional artists, were offered to volunteers. Volunteers who participated in six or more trainings received a "Certificate of Completion." The number of volunteer art visits, session reports, and the impact on volunteers were recorded. Qualitative data suggests that patients, staff, and volunteers gain from the introduction of the arts in home hospice care.