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Hospice volunteers change lives

Hospice care teams consist of many people. Obviously, medial and psychological professionals are involved, but did you know that important roles are often filled by everyday people who volunteer for service? In an article for the West Virginia Gazette, Julie Robinson interviewed both employees and volunteers at a local hospice program to discover more about this topic. A quote:

Volunteers often underestimate the value of their own talents. One patient who started a cross-stitching project was distressed when she was physically unable to finish it. A volunteer who also cross-stitches sat with her and finished it.

"Our volunteers don't think their talents are a big deal, but they are to us," said Toni Bee, registered nurse and volunteer coordinator. "A young long-term cancer patient wanted to keep a journal. A volunteer visits and journals for her, taking down word for word what she says. The goal is to give it to her parents after she's gone."

Another long-term patient who was born and raised in Hungary wasn't eating well because she didn't like institutional cooking. Gates emailed volunteers and one responded. Her parents were from Hungary and she still had their recipes, which she used to prepare foods that comforted the patient and increased her appetite.

Patients are people, and as we know it can be difficult to predict every possible need a human being may have. Fortunately, those gaps can often be filled by the selfless work of volunteers.

Everyone has something to contribute, so call your local hospice program and tell them you'd like to help!