NORWICH – Hospice of Chenango County recently completed a patient/family volunteer training course facilitated by the agency’s Volunteer Coordinator Kendall Drexler. Drexler said that the diversity of the background of the individuals who spent twenty five hours in training will allow Hospice to offer a specific skill or service that a patient/family might need. Ten people completed the course. Some were retired, while others are still in the paid workforce. Their employment background and interests include an EMT, an LPN, a Home Health Aide, a food service manger, a graphic designer, and a minister to name a few. What they had in common is their desire to make a difference in their communities.
Among the trainees were cancer survivors and those with lifelong disabilities. “They know what it feels like to lose some of their independence, or go through cancer treatment and face their own mortality,” says Drexler. These life experiences will help them understand some of what their patients and families are going through.
The training sessions prepared Volunteers to accommodate the needs of Hospice patients and families. They learned practical things from different Hospice department heads who presented information to the class such as what to do if there is an emergency when you are in the home, and how and when to contact Hospice. Volunteers also worked to explore different bias and stereotyped they might have that would affect the way they work in a home. They also worked on their communication and relationship building skills. “Most importantly volunteers spent time making a family tree,” says Drexler, “and as a group we explored how their family dynamics affect the way they work with families that are different than theirs.”
Volunteers are in the process of completing their final interviews before being assigned their first case. One trainee, Willard Lamont, summed up his feelings this way: “Hospice volunteering is a privilege and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve.” If you would like information about becoming a Hospice Volunteer contact Kendall Drexler at 334-3556 or email her from the agency website at www.hospicechenango.org.