PRESS RELEASE: February 25, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Beverly Crowl, Public Relations Specialist
302-547-1816 / 302-478-5707 x1143
bcrowl@delawarehospice.org
Delaware Hospice volunteer Judy Goldhammer encourages others to get involved during the Spring volunteer information sessions in March.
“As a hospice volunteer, you’re helping other people, and I always feel that I get more than I give my patients and families. Whether you’re sitting with a patient so the caregiver can go out for an appointment, calling to check on the family or making a delivery of supplies to the home, you learn a lot from those you are serving,” said Judy Goldhammer, Delaware Hospice Kent County Volunteer.
Judy feels that her Delaware Hospice volunteer training was excellent. “You receive information from a variety of disciplines; the nurse, social worker, chaplain, volunteer coordinator, bereavement counselor, and even the volunteers themselves. This helps you to understand the various facets of the program and decide whether or not you’d like to become a patient/family support volunteer. And you never go out blind. The Volunteer Coordinator gives you all the specifics of the case and if need arises, a staff member is as close as the phone.”
Visiting patients may not be everyone’s cup of tea, however, and Delaware Hospice volunteers help out in many other ways. Those who want to get involved with the not-for-profit organization might assist in organizing fundraising events, support staff members with clerical needs or bake cookies for Camp New Hope—to name a few. The Delaware Hospice Center, expected to open in April, will also offer unique opportunities for you to give a helping hand—receiving visitors, visiting with guests, creating flower arrangements, serving tea, and more.
Judy Goldhammer reflected, “Volunteer work has changed me. I’m more aware of things. I see the value of what I’m doing. As a retiree, I know that I have to allow time in my schedule to help others. Volunteering for Delaware Hospice has been a blessing in so many ways.”
Delaware Hospice will be holding its Spring Volunteer Information Sessions throughout the state during March and welcomes your involvement for a mutually beneficial experience.
Registration is required. To register for an upcoming training or to find out more about volunteering for Delaware Hospice, contact the Volunteer Coordinator nearest you.
In Kent County, call Judy Knutstad, 678-4448, ext. 2117 or write to: jknutstad@delawarehospice.org.
In New Castle County, call Marguerite Werner, 479-2577, ext. 1127, or write to: mwerner@delawarehospice.org.
In Sussex County, call Mary Costello, 855-2344, ext. 4120, or write to mcostello@delawarehospice.org.
About Delaware Hospice
Since 1982, Delaware Hospice has provided exceptional care and support to 30,000 patients and their families. Its mission is to help each patient, each day, live the fullest, most comfortable life possible. Delaware Hospice is the largest and only licensed, nonprofit, community-based hospice serving New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware and southern Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania. For more information about Delaware Hospice’s programs and services, upcoming events, or employment opportunities, call 800-838-9800
Delaware
Hospice is accredited by JCAHO.
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