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Devoted, kind and brave Hospice volunteers


Volunteer Week is April 27- May 3, 2008. We want to take the opportunity to thank all the Yolo Hospice volunteers. You make our job easier and contribute significantly to our ability to care for patients.

Like most not-for-profits, Yolo Hospice has as great need for volunteers. They are an invaluable resource. We need help in the office, with special projects, for fundraising activities and in our thrift store. We also need Patient Care Volunteers.

“All of our volunteers are important to us and make significant contributions,” says Valeska Wise, Yolo Hospice Volunteer Services Manager. “Patient Care Volunteers are unique even at Yolo Hospice. They are an integral part of the team caring for patients.” Every Yolo Hospice patient has a team available to help as they need it. A nurse, social worker, home health aide, chaplain/spiritual counselor and volunteer are the core members of that team.

“One of the big benefits of the Patient Care Volunteers is that there are no ‘have-tos’ about their visits,” said Wise. “For instance, when a nurse or hospice aide visit they are things they must check, ask or do. A patient care volunteer is there only to help the patient with what they need. They are there to journey with them. It’s is a tremendous gift to the patients and their overall care.”

Patient Care Volunteers play a vital role giving support, help, respite care and companionship to patients and their families; because of their role, we ask a little more of them. Yolo Hospice Patient Care Volunteers go through a 24-hour training course before they can ever help with a patient and are asked to be available an average of four hours per week.

A big part of a volunteer's effort is simply befriending the patient and family; from their relationship flows the specific set of services needed. Jennie works with a patient who can’t see well now, but who loved to read Jennie’s speaking voice is just right, so once a week she reads the classics aloud to the patient. “Jennie has brought a joy back to my patient that she thought was lost,” said Stephanie Makis, MSW, Yolo Hospice Social Worker. “It is wonderful to see her so happy.”

For a number of reasons, not everyone wants to be directly involved with patients, but are still committed to helping us care for them. Those volunteers help us in other ways.

There’s Barbara who has been volunteering for years and helps us plow through paper work and other office tasks. “The work Barbara does is essential not just busy work,” said Candace Frawley, Director of Community Relations. “We count on her and have done so longer than many of us have been here – 10 years. Her devotion and institutional knowledge are priceless.”

One volunteer you may see tooling around town is Ed, who goes all over town two days a week making deliveries for us. “Ed gives us the whole day and will do anything, go anywhere we need with a smile and a sense of calm,” said Teresa Simi, RN, MSN, CHPN, Nursing and Home Health Aid Team Leader.  “I don’t know what we’d do without his help.”

Volunteer week is about showing that we can meet life’s challenges not as isolated individuals or businesses but as members of a community all working together. Yolo Hospice is a community hospice created by volunteers. Volunteers remain a vital part of our team. We’d love to have you come and join our team too.

We will hold our next volunteer training in Davis in June. Trainings are held seven times a year, but at different locations in Sacramento and Davis. The Sacramento Hospice Consortium handles registration. To register, go to the Yolo Hospice website to download the registration form (http://www.yolohospice.org/volunteer.php) or call the Sacramento Hospice Consortium Volunteer Response Line at (916) 454-6532. The dates are June 19, 20, 23 and 27, 2008 from 9:00 A.M.– 4:00 P.M.

Next year, Yolo Hospice will mark its 30th year of service to this community. We want to commemorate that anniversary with a year of celebration. We will hold the introductory meeting of the Friends of Yolo Hospice in July to kick off the planning for our anniversary. You can volunteer for the fun by calling or emailing Candace Frawley at (530) 758-5566 or cfrawley@yolohospice.org.

You can volunteer in other roles by calling or emailing Nancy Bodily, Volunteer Services Manager at (530) 758-5566 or nbodily@yolohospice.org

Yolo Hospice volunteers make a significant commitment as soon as they walk in our door. We know it and appreciate it. Thank you all.

 

 

 

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Quotes

Ted Skiera
"I've worked for 20+ years in cardiovascular and oncology nursing, most recently working as a nurse coordinator in cardiovascular research. My work with Yolo Hospice has enabled me to focus all of my acute clinical experiences into caring for patients, and their loved ones, during a most challenging period of their lives."
~Ted Skiera, RN