A heart-to-heart chat with Esther Langelaan

Volunteer at Hospice Zorg aan Zee, Den Helder

A lovely chat with Esther Langelaan. She has now been volunteering at Hospice Care by the Sea in Den Helder. She works two mornings a week as a complementary care volunteer and does one further shift during which she takes full responsibility for the guests’ care. On the mornings she is on duty, she gives massages to the guests (as she calls the clients), ensures the complementary care cupboard is in order and places orders where necessary. When speaking with her, it quickly becomes clear just how much love and attention she puts into her work.

“I just wanted to be there for people”

How did you end up at the hospice?
“I used to run my own practice as an energy therapist,” says Esther. “Before that, I was a primary school teacher and provided child therapy. When I became a mother, I decided to stop practising regression and reincarnation therapy. I no longer wanted to do just one-to-one sessions, but to share my skills more widely with people. I also worked with horses for many years. My horse was stabled at my own natural stables alongside other horses. But after my horse passed away, I decided to close that chapter. It took a lot out of me, physically as well.”

What replaced it?
“I found myself wondering: what next? Where can I simply be myself and put my talents to good use? A good friend recommended the hospice to me. She said, ‘That’s really right up your street.’ And that’s how I ended up at Hospice Zorg aan Zee.”

Complementary care: bringing peace and gentleness

l

l

What exactly do you do as a complementary volunteer?

“In the mornings, I give the guests massages, keep the complementary care cupboard tidy and order new products when necessary. I also look after the diffusers in the rooms. I add essential oils to them, depending on what’s needed at the time. Complementary care has become an integral part of the hospice. We’ve been using De Groene Linde products for many years now, and I’m the one who’s taken on the coordination, training the volunteers and working alongside the nurse. I also blend my own massage oil. Everything is carefully documented in a folder, and the cupboard contains precise instructions on how to use the products. This is how we ensure safety and continuity.”

What are your favourite products?

• 𝙸𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚓𝚔𝚎 𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚝: “I often use them in the family room, kitchen or reception area. They make people feel at ease straight away. That’s exactly what we want in a home away from home.”
• 𝙲𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝙴𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚢: “I use this to clean rooms after a guest has passed away. Sometimes I use it for the whole hospice.”
• 𝙱𝚎 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚑: “As the name suggests: a fresh scent that creates a lovely, clean atmosphere.”

A scent that brings comfort

l

l

The Linde Care fragrance range
“The scents from the Linde Care range also play a major role within the hospice. We use scent diffusers with oils such as Serenity. This oil creates a calm and serene atmosphere, particularly for guests who are dying. We hang the scent diffuser from the ‘parrot’ above the bed, so that the scent creates a sort of safe bubble.”

Are there any other resources?
“Yes, sometimes we make a golden triangle of gemstones: rose quartz, amethyst and rock crystal. These stones help people to let go of their emotions and offer comfort – not only to the guests, but also to their loved ones.”

Small moments, great values

What moves you most about your work?
“There are so many wonderful moments. I go in to see the guests and ask if they’d like a massage. It’s an honour for me to be able to connect in this way with guests who are going through such a special phase in their lives, as was the case this time when I visited a woman who was able to let herself go completely during the massage. Afterwards, she told me that, for a brief moment, she felt as though she wasn’t ill and was simply herself in that moment. She was deeply moved by this. For me, these are moments of happiness that stay with me.”

And that’s what sticks in your mind?
“Absolutely. Like that time I was able to give a massage to a 95-year-old man. He’d never had a massage in his life. I thought it was so brave of him to allow it at this stage of his life. Moments like these are moments of true happiness for me.”