Hospice volunteers critically in need
New training session starts Sept. 29
–Community volunteers are critically needed to provide in-home companionship and respite care to Central Coast Hospice patients in San Luis Obispo County and the Santa Maria Valley.
Central Coast Hospice has been providing medical and social services to those with a terminal diagnosis in all of San Luis Obispo County for over five years. Volunteers are an important part of the program. They provide supervision to patients while their family caregivers take a break or run errands, assist with light household tasks, provide emotional support and socialization, and help with miscellaneous, yet important tasks—like organizing family photos or helping the patient write letters to their loved ones.
No prior experience is necessary. Potential volunteers only need to have an interest in helping others, a caring nature, and ability to participate in a training program prior to beginning their volunteer experience. Current and past volunteers have said they received much more from volunteering than they feel like they gave—they have learned more about themselves, their own families, their own feelings about death as well as the beauty of life in the process.
Central Coast Hospice will soon be offering a volunteer training and is hoping to recruit potential volunteers willing to serve. The training will be held four consecutive Fridays: Sept. 29, Oct. 6, 13, and 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge for the class and hospice will provide snacks and lunch as well as a binder full of training materials.
The training will be held in San Luis Obispo and will include such topics as: the history of hospice, its philosophy and mission, how hospice addresses the needs of the patient and family, the role of various hospice clinician team members, family dynamics and communication skills, dementia, grief and loss, and the role of the volunteer. Multiple presenters, videos, and examples will be utilized to convey the material.
To register for the training, contact Central Coast Hospice at (805) 540-6020 and ask to speak with the Volunteer Coordinator or send an email to [email protected].
