Over the years, Hospice of Santa Barbara has seen the annual tradition of Dia de Los Muertos as a way to reach out to offer its myriad services to Spanish speakers in the greater Santa Barbara community.
“While this is a natural occasion to talk about what we offer to the Latino and Spanish-speaking community, we have been looking at this opportunity as what it is that we can do for them,” Clinical Services Director Gabriela Dodson said.
El Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a day to celebrate, remember and present special offerings and foods in honor of those who have died. Loved ones make altars and place “ofrendas” (offerings) such as bread, sugar skulls, figurines, candles, incense, yellow marigolds and photos.
“It occurred to me that these traditions of recognition and honoring loved ones who have died are at the core of Dia de los Muertos and Hospice of Santa Barbara,” Dodson said. “This is something that we could bring to Hospice of Santa Barbara to help in the healing for our clients and patients as well as our staff and volunteers — and, have a little fun while we are at it.”
This year, in addition to outreach being done at the multiparish celebration at Our Lady of Sorrows at 7 p.m. Sunday, Hospice of Santa Barbara has constructed its own altar for everyone and anyone who would like to participate.
The Hospice of Santa Barbara Dia de los Muertos altar/memorial is located in the Hospice of Santa Barbara’s entryway and will be up through Friday.
As with traditional Dia de los Muertos altars, patients, clients, staff, volunteers, board members and community members are asked to place on the altar items such as photos, candles, personal items or whatever they feel best represents their loved ones. (Items should be labeled and retrieved by owners.)
The mission of Hospice of Santa Barbara is to provide care to anyone experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one.
Daniella Elghanayan is a public relations representative.