Covid Tribute Poster Project 2
The amount of deaths in our hospital during the peak of Covid was overwhelming . We set up a small hospice unit inside our hospital so that patients could die in comfort and peace. As a chaplain I wanted my patients to be humanized and not just a number. With my social workers, we’d contact the family of the dying patient, and gather information, such as their favorite color, their achievements, an image or symbol they loved, and descriptive qualities revealing something about who they were. Putting all this information together, I’d create a 20 x 30-inch Tribute Poster, bring it to the unit and hang it above the patient’s bed.
This had a healing effect on the staff. The doctors, nurses, NP’s, social workers and chaplains loved learning about who their patients were in life, their hopes, dreams and loves. It humanized them. It also became a major focal point when families were able to visit the last hours of their loved ones life. The posters evoked stories, memories, laughter and sadness; it elicited healing for the family on the first steps into the vast landscape of grief. A special note: All names have been anonymized for privacy, as well as some personal details.
