Hospice to offer training for new volunteers

   Hunterdon Hospice — a Medicare-certified, nonprofit organization that coordinates home-based supportive services in the homes of its patients — has been providing care to families in the area for over 30 years.
   Hospice is a special kind of care designed to support and comfort people living with a terminal illness. When a family receives hospice services a whole team of people is assigned to see that they receive the most complete and comprehensive care possible; and an incredibly important member of that team is the Hospice volunteer.
   Hospice volunteers receive training, which teaches them about what hospice care is and prepares them to provide care to patients and their families. But hospice volunteers are not all direct-patient-care volunteers. Many volunteers work in the office, some help with fundraisers, and some volunteers help deliver supplies when patients need that.
   ”We are always looking for cosmetologists, who would be comfortable giving a patient a haircut, manicure or even a pedicure,” said a spokesman.
   Hunterdon Hospice is accepting applications for its training program, which begins in just a few weeks.
   The training program covers all aspects of volunteering. Training classes meet from 10 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays beginning March 14 and ending May 16. The classes will be held at the Hospice Office, 215 Route 31 South in Flemington.
   Volunteers form relationships with their patients and the patients’ loved ones. They provide whatever support is needed to enable the family to continue to function,” explained Joy Stump, volunteer coordinator for Hunterdon Hospice. She added, “I continuously hear from our volunteers about how helping out with Hunterdon Hospice helps them keep life in perspective. They always tell me how surprised they are by how much joy and happiness doing this work brings them. They experience moments of laughter and friendship. Patients teach them about life and how to live your life with courage, dignity and always hope. Our volunteers go home at the end of the day knowing they have helped make a difference in someone’s life.”
   Volunteers provide “valuable emotional support to both patients and families and keep families connected to the community. They fill many of the gaps and help wherever needed, such as providing respite to caregivers and family members, running errands, being a companion to the patient, and helping with household tasks. Our volunteers are such amazing people and are always willing to help out however needed. When families are in need it is the little things in life that are important,” said a spokesman.
   To arrange for an interview, contact Ms. Stump at 908-788-2573 or e-mail her at [email protected].
   To learn more, see www.hunterdonhealthcare.org.