Hospice was developed to provide comfort and hope for people facing the end of their lives. Before becoming a recognized medical service, volunteers administered it; volunteers who provided patients in dire need with emotional, social, and spiritual support.
Giving comfort, calm, and care to people confronting a terminal illness and their caregivers and loved ones is at the heart of hospice volunteering. Hospice volunteers aim to provide their patients with compassion, and to give comfort and support to their givers and family members during those priceless final days and hours.
Hospice volunteers provide essential care in the latter months of a person's life. Nobody wants to feel unimportant and isolated. They require a kind listener who will also share a grin and help them rediscover some humour in their lives. Every day volunteers make a difference in the lives of hospice patients by reading to them, going with them on walks, writing notes, or just listening. Someone also needs to be there to take up the additional load for their families.
Hospice patients may be lonely even with frequent visits from family. Their world tends to get smaller due to their disease, until it primarily consists of nurses, physicians, and medical procedures. Whatever volunteers do, the most important thing is that they show up and put in the time. They also have opportunities to meet new acquaintances, interact socially, and re-engage with their community through volunteering.
If you are interested in volunteering for Home Hospice Association, please fill out the form here.
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