Barbara Barnett Director Of Volunteer Services Downeast Hospice Volunteers Joined us on the Streetbeat.
Call 454-7521 ext. or e-mail at downeasthospice@yahoo.com. or download an application from our web site – www.downeasthospicevolunteers.org
For further questions – call Barbara Barnett / Executive Director of Volunteer Services at 726-5087
Hospice clients appreciate your company. However, since we are state licensed, you can’t just raise your hand and become a hospice volunteer.
The training is mandatory.
No trained volunteer will be asked to take on a volunteer situation that the volunteer is uncomfortable with.
DEHV is flexible and I give each volunteer an opportunity to turn down an assignment. Actually, this hardly ever happens.
Hospice families in our communities depend on our volunteers for companionship, possibly running a couple of errands. Some volunteers will offer to walk the hospice client’s dog. At the end of the training, each volunteers get the chance to list things they are comfortable doing and things they prefer not to do. This list is confidential and I’m the only one who has access.
A hospice volunteer will sit with their hospice client and keep them company. Some clients like to be read to, play cards or games, watch their favorite TV shows with some company. Often, you will listen to life stories and reminisce along with your volunteer.
Hospice volunteers are giving the caregivers respite time for what ever they could use that time for. If someone is a sincere listener and wants to become a hospice volunteer, they are 90% on their way.
I usually meet the hospice client and his or her caregivers before bringing in a hospice volunteer. Then I decide what volunteer may fit their needs and how close do they live to the hospice client. I try not to send our hospice volunteers too far from home.
We have hospice clients of all ages with many different terminal diagnosis. In 2021 (so far) our clients have ranged from mid 60’s to early 90’s. We have had clients in their 30’s and younger in the past.
Some of the mandatory training topics that we have thoughtful and informative discussions about are:
Confidentiality – a very important part of hospice care in our community
Dealing with Family Dynamics
Personal Death Experiences
How to Manage Stress
Ethical Issues at End of Life
Organ donation
Last stages of dying
Spirituality
Dementia/Alzheimer’s at end of life
Funerals/Cremation and alternatives
Body Mechanics
Death with Dignity Act in Maine
Medicare Hospice
Advanced Directives
Alternative Pain Control
Important – Our volunteers also visit their hospice clients in the hospitals, nursing homes, the Maine Veterans Home, boarding homes and assisted living facilities in Washington County. All covid CDC guidelines are followed for the volunteer training and for all volunteer hospice visits. We request that all hospice volunteers be vaccinated.
Get your application NOW and let us arrange a pre-training interview either in person or on the phone.
Call 454-7521 ext. or e-mail at downeasthospice@yahoo.com. or download an application from our web site – www.downeasthospicevolunteers.org
For further questions – call Barbara Barnett / Executive Director of Volunteer Services at 726-5087
Hospice clients appreciate your company. However, since we are state licensed, you can’t just raise your hand and become a hospice volunteer.
The training is mandatory.
No trained volunteer will be asked to take on a volunteer situation that the volunteer is uncomfortable with.
DEHV is flexible and I give each volunteer an opportunity to turn down an assignment. Actually, this hardly ever happens.
Hospice families in our communities depend on our volunteers for companionship, possibly running a couple of errands. Some volunteers will offer to walk the hospice client’s dog. At the end of the training, each volunteers get the chance to list things they are comfortable doing and things they prefer not to do. This list is confidential and I’m the only one who has access.
A hospice volunteer will sit with their hospice client and keep them company. Some clients like to be read to, play cards or games, watch their favorite TV shows with some company. Often, you will listen to life stories and reminisce along with your volunteer.
Hospice volunteers are giving the caregivers respite time for what ever they could use that time for. If someone is a sincere listener and wants to become a hospice volunteer, they are 90% on their way.
I usually meet the hospice client and his or her caregivers before bringing in a hospice volunteer. Then I decide what volunteer may fit their needs and how close do they live to the hospice client. I try not to send our hospice volunteers too far from home.
We have hospice clients of all ages with many different terminal diagnosis. In 2021 (so far) our clients have ranged from mid 60’s to early 90’s. We have had clients in their 30’s and younger in the past.
Some of the mandatory training topics that we have thoughtful and informative discussions about are:
Confidentiality – a very important part of hospice care in our community
Dealing with Family Dynamics
Personal Death Experiences
How to Manage Stress
Ethical Issues at End of Life
Organ donation
Last stages of dying
Spirituality
Dementia/Alzheimer’s at end of life
Funerals/Cremation and alternatives
Body Mechanics
Death with Dignity Act in Maine
Medicare Hospice
Advanced Directives
Alternative Pain Control
Important – Our volunteers also visit their hospice clients in the hospitals, nursing homes, the Maine Veterans Home, boarding homes and assisted living facilities in Washington County. All covid CDC guidelines are followed for the volunteer training and for all volunteer hospice visits. We request that all hospice volunteers be vaccinated.
Get your application NOW and let us arrange a pre-training interview either in person or on the phone.
Call 454-7521 ext. or e-mail at downeasthospice@yahoo.com. or download an application from our web site – www.downeasthospicevolunteers.org
For further questions – call Barbara Barnett / Executive Director of Volunteer Services at 726-5087