I was fortunate to be able to participate in the Hospice of Homer volunteer training. The staff and volunteers at hospice did an excellent job and offered a great opportunity for our group to learn the importance of this great program in our midst.
When my mother was in her final stages of living in Indiana, our family was not given the option of having compassionate care because she was in a hospital, and they would not allow hospice unless she was moved out.
In Homer, our volunteers are allowed to come into different settings and offer their time to assist not only the hospice clients but also their families. Hospice also has volunteers spend time with the homebound and people that need other services.
There is a wide range of opportunities to be involved and they are all very important roles.
My experience has offered me opportunity to provide respite for busy and stressed families that need to attend to life’s issues and can be assured that their loved ones are not alone.
I began my time volunteering as a hospice provider thinking that I was going to offer my time for those who were in the end-stage of life and discovered that often my presence has been even more beneficial to the family and friends of their loved ones. It’s a beautiful way to give back to this community. Hospice of Homer Hospice offers many options of helping. I look forward to many years of volunteering with this organization. If you have any extra time to give to this important community service, I encourage you to check out Hospice of Homer.
Janet Middleton is a Hospice of Homer End of Life and Volunteer Visitor, as well as a Phone Friends Volunteer.
Hospice of Homer’s annual volunteer training begins Saturday. There will be 32 hours of training during October at the Hospice of Homer office, 265 E. Pioneer Avenue, Suite 3: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday; 6-9 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 11; 1-5 p.m. Oct. 12; 6-9 p.m. Oct. 14; and 6-9 p.m. Oct. 21.
Participants will learn about hospice philosophy, end-of-life care, friendly visiting, Alzheimer’s Disease, pain management, ethics, body mechanics and more. The training also is an opportunity for participants to learn more about their attitudes toward aging, dying and loss.
For more information or to reserve a place for yourself, call hospice at 235-6899. Class size is limited to 16.
Other upcoming hospice events include an open house scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Hospice of Homer office and the Annual Preparing for the Holidays Fund-raiser from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Homer Elks Lodge. Tickets to the event are limited and will be available at The Homer Bookstore Nov. 1.
