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Dr Jerry Old
Jerry Old MD is chief consulting medical officer with Hospice Care of Kansas and an associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. He is a nationally recognized author and speaker on end-of-life issues. You may contact Dr. Old by phone at 1-800-HOSPICE.
Hospice
2011-04-01 13:55:00
Hospice volunteers
Question: What role do volunteers play in hospice?
Answer: Volunteers do a great service in this country, and those doing volunteer work consistently find the experience extremely rewarding. But why would anyone want to volunteer for Hospice? Wouldn’t that be depressing; working with dying people? Ironically, that is not the case! Individuals who step out of their “comfort-zone” and volunteer for hospice organizations, find it personally gratifying, intellectually stimulating and emotionally meaningful. Hospice is not about death—it is about life! Priorities change, but Hospice is about living the best quality of life, for as long as one can live it. There is now global awareness that hospice and palliative medicine must be a reliable part of every health care system. We have left behind the era where hospice was timidly advanced as a ‘choice’ or an ‘alternative’ to standard care. More and more people are choosing the option to stay home, to forego expensive (and often painful) medical therapies that don’t help much, to maintain control of their decisions, and have quality of life at home when reaching the end of their physical lives. What can volunteers bring to hospice? Perhaps merely helping with simple administrative duties, such as filing or addressing envelops for thank you letters in the office. Maybe it’s child care assistance. Volunteers have made invaluable contributions with family pet care. Perhaps it is support or respite for family members. Simple things such as allowing a caregiver an opportunity to run errands, buy groceries, or to get a little time away from the house may be invaluable in preventing burnout. Even assisting with household maintenance or yard work can be a precious gift for those who can’t perform those tasks. For persons brave enough, or comfortable enough, Hospice volunteering may mean actually visiting with patients—reading, talking, helping them reminisce, playing music or supervising visits with pets. All volunteers are trained and will feel comfortable and confident in whatever Hospice setting they choose. All you really need is a desire to help your friends and neighbors while serving the community. The importance of volunteers is reflected in the fact that one of the requirements of a Medicare certified hospice is that at least 5% of the total patient care hours be provided by volunteers. They are a valuable members of the multi-disciplinary team that supports the patient and the family, along with the physicians, nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains and others. The hospice philosophy recognizes that dying is not merely a medical event, but a profoundly personal journey. What could be more exciting and fulfilling than to help someone facing that journey? National Volunteer Week is April 10-16. Volunteering for Hospice is something to consider. The most common comment I hear from Hospice volunteers is, “I went there to help someone else, and I received far more than I gave.” Call the hospice in your area to get involved.
 
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