Join the Volunteer Team at Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT—Winter 2013 Training Set

Want to make an impact on other people’s lives?  Join Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT’s family support and bereavement volunteer team.  Training sessions are scheduled for Feb. 11 through Feb. 15, 2013.

“When a volunteer calls or walks in the door it brightens our patients’ days,” says Carolyn Wolfe, the agency’s Volunteer Director.  “It can make such a difference to a family to know that someone will be there for a visit.”

Spending time with a volunteer often allows patients to forget about their serious medical issues and focus on enjoying activities.  Whether playing cards, looking at family photos, running errands or listening to a patient tell his stories, it is meaningful time together for both the patient and the volunteer.  Family support volunteers provide companionship for patients and much-needed respite for caregivers, typically two to four hours per week.

Regional Hospice is currently seeking volunteers who are licensed massage therapists (LMT) certified in therapeutic touch or trained to perform Reiki. There are also opportunities to help grieving people overcome the emptiness that often accompanies loss.  Bereavement volunteers make personal visits and phone calls, or can assist with grief support groups offered by the Healing Hearts Center for Grieving Children & Families and within the community. 

Volunteers receive appropriate training, so they will feel confident walking into patients’ homes or talking with grieving family members.  Our professionally-led training program will provide an introduction to the hospice philosophy of patient and family care and will also focus on supporting those who are experiencing grief and loss, and how to be a supportive listener.  The role of both family support and bereavement volunteers will be fully explained and all volunteer opportunities will be discussed.

Training for all Regional Hospice and Home Care’s new volunteers will take place at the agency’s Healing Hearts Center located at 73 Stadley Rough Road in Danbury.  Everyone interested in becoming a volunteer will attend full-day trainings on both Monday, Feb. 11 and Tuesday, Feb. 12.  There will be an additional training module, specific to either family support volunteers from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14, or for bereavement volunteers on Friday, Feb 15.  Potential volunteers are required to complete both full day sessions plus one of the additional modules.

As the need for hospice care increases in Western Connecticut, there is a growing need for additional family support volunteers, especially bilingual volunteers.  Anyone interested in exploring becoming a Regional Hospice and Home Care volunteer may contact Carolyn Wolfe, Volunteer Director at 203-702-7415 (email: CWolfe@RegionalHospiceCT.org).

An application, interview, references and background check are required.  Registration for the upcoming volunteer training will be accepted through Jan. 21.  Please Click on Application Form and submit to cwolfe@regionalhospicect.org. (Space is limited—registration does not guarantee enrollment in training sessions.)