Expansion Plans for Pure Lotus Hospice !

The Venerable Rev Lyan Shih (CEO of the Pure Lotus Hospice Of Compassion ) announced plans to extend our present hospice building at No 73 Jalan Utama , Penang .The plan is to build skywards - a four storey buiding which will eventually be able to accomodate more than forty patients at any one time . A press conference was held to inform the people of Penang and elsewhere regarding this and we are looking at ways and means to get funding for this project . There have been many occassions when we have had to reject applications for admission because there were not enough beds to cope with the demand .Hopefully this will sove our dilemma .

a poster showing the proposed new buliding and pictures of patients ,staff and volunteers at Pure Lotus HospiceA

Pet Therapy at Pure Lotus Hospice

Pet Therapy was started at the hospice in late 2013 .One of our volunteers Tan Goay Gnoh brings her little Pomeranian dog along to visit the patients on alternate Tuesdays . His name is Tam Tam and he is a loving , clever little fellow. Always obedient and willing to do his 'tricks' so that people give him biscuit treats ! Some of the patients have become friends with Tam Tam and are happy to see him when he visits . They enjoy stroking him and petting him . The session makes them smile and talk more easily and they sometimes reminisce about their lives before they got sick ; the pets they used to have ,etc . Pet Therapy is often used in hospices round the world and has been found to be useful in making patients feel less anxious and stressed . Dogs are ideal because they are such loving friendly creatures . We sometimes have patients who are abandoned by their families at the hospice . These people have not been touched or hugged for a long time . Often they feel worthless , hopeless and unloved . Holding Tam Tam and stroking him , having him respond immediately - makes them feel much better about themselves . We are very grateful to Goay Gnoh for her commitment to the patients and for sharing her little dog with us .

PLHOC arranged a dinner and Karaoke night for staff and volunteers at the Penang Swimming Club on April 25th 2014. Everyone had a great time eating good food, singing old songs and generally 'letting their hair down '!!