Hopefully, when folks have to face losing a loved one, they will be as blessed as I have been with positive experiences.
Perhaps then, they will understand why serving as a hospice volunteer speaks with the volume turned loud.
Volunteers can assist with shopping or household maintenance, or allow family caregivers the opportunity to take care of necessary errands and get time away from the house. Family members appreciate a visit from a compassionate friend who understands what they are going through.
Volunteering can include visiting, reading, taking walks, writing letters, bringing in music, supervising visits with pets, or just listening to a loved one as they work through their life’s hardest journey.
Hospice volunteers can work closely with the hospice’s professional bereavement staff in duties that range from assisting as a support group facilitator to serving refreshments and helping with mailings to clients and families.
With both of my parents, when they exhaled their last breaths, I stood by their sides, holding their hands and praying for their safe passage from this world. I am very proud that my family allowed our parents to die with dignity and respect. It was the very least we could do for the people who gave us life.
This is why people volunteer with a hospice.
If I can make one moment more pleasant, or if I can help bring an atmosphere of dignity to dying, then I have been blessed to travel along one of life’s universal journeys.
TO JOIN
Call 689-0300 or 902-1632 if you want to join Emerald Coast Hospice’s volunteer staff.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Blessed to volunteer for hospice