Author shares spiritual perspective on hospice

Previously a chaplain in two hospices in New Jersey, Kathleen Rusnak, author and international speaker, visited Hot Springs to spread the word about hospice availability and the spiritual care that partners with hospice.

Arkansas Hospice received a grant from The Ross Foundation for minority outreach and partnered with Rusnak, who recently spoke in Arkadelphia with a group of pastors and shared with members of the Arkansas Hospice advisory council for Hot Springs.

While she originally intended to serve in prisons, Rusnak was placed in the hospice care field during her studies and became fascinated by the mysteries of death, spirituality and the afterlife.

“Writing this book, it proved to me that we all have a spiritual framework no matter who you are. Everyone that goes through hospice hits a brick wall; they are no longer planning for their future. We’re here to walk alongside them,” she said.

Rusnak said her discoveries about the spiritual shift and identity crises that occur with those placed on hospice have continued her passion to speak on the topic.

“Spiritual care for the dying is different than spiritual care for someone who has an

injury. It’s about the process of ending your life. As humans we seek meaning and purpose, we can’t imagine death and the reality of not knowing,” she said.

Her latest book, “Because You’ve Never Died Before,” is written in a storytelling form and explores the topics of fear in death and shares the experiences of those who have been at the threshold between life and the afterlife.

“Sometimes these people are no longer in a linear world, it’s like they’re in another dimension. In those moments the living need to be present, which is its own spiritual dimension. We wake up and make our to-do lists, as opposed to people on hospice who get up and cancel those plans and begin to ask the ‘Who am I?’ questions,” she said.

Rusnak said she favors hospice care as it offers pain control hospitals typically can’t provide which allows for the spiritual issues to emerge.

David Edwards, media manager for Arkansas Hospice, acknowledged while hospice organizations are typically focused on the final six months of life, he believes it’s important to spread the message on how to live fully in the present.

“We need to learn how to better live now, there’s more to life than the last six months. What better way to learn than from patients who are entering their last months than in Rusnak’s book as she describes stories from people who have been there,” he said.

He said Arkansas Hospice hopes to reach people of all backgrounds, with attention to the African-American community, as he believes most people don’t take advantage of the benefits of hospice.

“African-Americans are utilizing hospice care at about half the percentage that the general population is. Unfortunately, people end up dying with more discomfort without hospice. We’ve got a long way to go with inviting and educating everyone about the benefits. People don’t understand that hospice is often covered by their insurance,” he said.

Edwards said he hopes to deliver the message that hospice is here to enhance the quality of life for all.