|
 Hospice
Volunteers....
Making
each day count--
Bringing
light--and love--
Into
people's lives
Why should I
consider being a Hospice Volunteer?
-
Because
hospice volunteers do important and rewarding work!
-
Because
patients and their families depend on volunteers as part of their
Hospice care. No one else provides the kind of services that hospice
does. By attending to the needs of both patients and their loved ones,
volunteer support can be a huge comfort for the entire family during a
difficult time.
-
Hospice
depends on volunteers. Without the efforts of volunteers, hospice could
not continue its important work.
There's a
lot to be gained from being a Hospice Volunteer...
-
Satisfaction
from making a difference in people's lives, and receiving their
gratitude in return.
-
Greater
self-knowledge from insights gained from relationships with patients
and their families.
-
Spiritual
growth from supporting a person through the process of dying.
-
Greater
self-knowledge gained through supporting people in crisis.
Volunteers
are the backbone of the hospice team.
They allow
hospice to provide services it otherwise could not offer.
Volunteers
usually:
-
Form close
bonds with patients and family members.
-
Help people
communicate by encouraging each person to say what he or she needs to
say. Volunteers help open the way for people to talk honestly.*
-
Grieve with
the family once the patient dies. Seeing the family all the way
through the patient's death is part of the volunteer's role. They may
attend the funeral or memorial service.
-
Stay in
contact with the family for over a year after the passing. This aspect
of being a volunteer is very satisfying and gives the whole process a
feeling of purpose and completion.
* Male volunteers, in particular, can provide a unique aspect of care to
terminally ill men. They encourage male patients to recount their careers and
celebrate their accomplishments. They can "talk shop". Male
volunteers also help male patients face their fears without embarrassment.
Volunteers
are thoroughly trained. Training covers:
-
The goals
and philosophy of hospice care.
-
The
psychological impact of death.
-
Patient
care.
-
Terminal
illness.
-
Communication
skills.
-
Family
relationships.
-
Patient and
family rights.
Volunteers
serve in many ways. Duties vary, but volunteers are usually counted on to:
-
Listen to
concerns.
-
Keep the
patient company.
-
Provide a
link to the hospice staff.
-
Be a
support person.
-
Administrative/clerical
support.
-
Yard
work/painting.
-
Fund-raising.
How do I
become a Hospice Volunteer?
Helping a
patient approach the end of life in the familiar and comfortable
atmosphere of their home is often a very real blessing for both patient
and family, as well as the volunteer.
It's those
little (and not so little) things volunteers do that make hospice care a
positive experience.
Consider
becoming a
Hospice
Volunteer!
Being
a Volunteer
It's
not for money. It's not for fame,
It's
not for any personal gain.
It's
not for love of fellow man,
It's
just to lend a helping hand.
It's
just to give a tithe of self,
It's
for that feeling deep inside.
It's
that reward down in your heart,
It's
that feeling that you've been a part
Of
helping others far and near
That
makes you be a volunteer!
(Author
Unknown)
|