The Role of Volunteers in Hospice Care

Summary

Rebecca Griffith, Volunteer Coordinator at Open Arms Hospice, discusses her role in recruiting and training volunteers to support patients and families. With 180 volunteers, they provide non-medical care, emotional support, and resources, ensuring patient comfort and caregiver respite. Griffith shares her personal connection, having family members cared for by the hospice, and emphasizes the universal, compassionate care provided. Interested volunteers can apply online or by phone, undergoing interviews, background checks, and orientation before partnering with experienced volunteers.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Rebecca Griffith is a Volunteer Coordinator at Open Arms Hospice, responsible for recruiting, training, and orienting new volunteers.
• 🏠 Open Arms Hospice has about 180 volunteers who support both in-home care and hospice house patients.
• 🤝 Volunteers act as resources for families and patients, providing non-medical care and support to ease the burden on medical professionals.
• 👨‍⚕️ Volunteers work closely with staff, including nurses, social workers, and CNAs, to meet the needs of patients and their families.
• 🛏️ The hospice provides various support services such as hospitality, companionship, and giving caregivers a break.
• 📦 Volunteers assess and fulfill requests for items like blankets, pillows, and prayer shawls, sourcing from local community resources when needed.
• 🎵 At the hospice house, volunteers cater to patient preferences, such as setting up music or helping with entertainment devices.
• 🍏 They also ensure that patients' needs for snacks and hydration are met through initiatives like the 'Cheer Cart'.
• 💖 Rebecca's personal connection to the hospice's services is highlighted by her grandfather's care and her great aunt and uncle's recent admission.
• 👥 The hospice's care is described as compassionate and respectful, regardless of whether one is a staff member or a patient's family.
• 📝 Interested volunteers can apply online through the website, by phone, or in person at the hospice house, with a process that includes an interview, background checks, and orientation.

Q & A

What is Rebecca Griffith's role at Open Arms Hospice?

Rebecca Griffith is a Volunteer Coordinator at Open Arms Hospice, responsible for recruiting, training, and orienting new volunteers for both in-home and hospice house programs.

How many volunteers does Open Arms Hospice have at any given time?

Open Arms Hospice has about 180 volunteers at any given time.

What is the primary role of volunteers at Open Arms Hospice?

Volunteers at Open Arms Hospice serve as a resource to the family and the patient, providing support and care that is just short of medical care, which is provided by the professionals.

What kind of support do volunteers provide to the families and patients?

Volunteers provide support such as hospitality, sitting with patients, caring for them, holding hands, and giving caregivers a break, among other non-medical needs.

How do volunteers work with the hospice staff to meet patient and family needs?

Volunteers work closely with the hospice staff, including nurses, social workers, and CNAs, to assess needs and provide support, such as ensuring patients have necessary supplies or setting up entertainment like music.

What is the process for someone interested in volunteering with Open Arms Hospice?

Interested individuals can apply online on the Open Arms Hospice website, call them, or fill out a paper application available at the hospice house. After application, there is an informal interview, followed by medical background checks and required health tests before orientation and partnering with a seasoned volunteer.

How does the hospice house ensure that patients' non-medical needs are met?

The hospice house ensures non-medical needs are met by assessing the needs through staff communication, providing supplies, and working with community resources when necessary.

What is the 'Cheer Cart' mentioned in the script?

The 'Cheer Cart' is a snack cart that goes around several times a day at the hospice house, providing water, snacks, and other necessities to patients and their families.

How has Rebecca Griffith's personal experience with Open Arms Hospice influenced her work?

Rebecca Griffith's personal experience with Open Arms Hospice includes her grandfather being a patient there, and later, her great aunt and uncle receiving care. This has given her a deeper appreciation for the staff's compassion and respect for every family member.

What does Rebecca Griffith find remarkable about the care provided by Open Arms Hospice staff?

Rebecca Griffith finds it remarkable that the care provided by the staff at Open Arms Hospice is consistent and of high quality, regardless of whether the patient is a family member or someone from the community.

How does the hospice house accommodate specific patient requests, such as for music?

The hospice house accommodates specific patient requests by having volunteers who can set up music, show the family how to use the TV or CD player, and ensure the patient's preferences are met.

Outlines

00:00

🤝 Role of a Volunteer Coordinator at Open Arms Hospice

Rebecca Griffith introduces herself as a volunteer coordinator at Open Arms Hospice, responsible for recruiting, training, and orienting new volunteers for both in-home and hospice house programs. With approximately 180 volunteers, the focus is on providing support to families and patients, complementing the medical care offered by professionals. Volunteers assist with non-medical needs such as companionship, offering a break to caregivers, and ensuring comfort. Griffith emphasizes the importance of being a resource for staff and addressing any additional needs that arise, including coordinating with community resources. She shares a personal connection to the hospice, having a family member cared for there, and appreciates the consistent care provided to all, regardless of background.

Keywords

💡Volunteer Coordinator

A Volunteer Coordinator is a professional who is responsible for recruiting, training, and managing volunteers within an organization. In the context of the video, Rebecca Griffith is the Volunteer Coordinator at Open Arms Hospice, where she oversees the integration of volunteers into the hospice's care programs, both in-home and at the hospice house. Her role is crucial in ensuring that volunteers are well-prepared and effectively support the hospice's mission of providing care to patients and their families.

💡Hospice

Hospice refers to a type of care that focuses on providing comfort and support to patients with terminal illnesses and their families, rather than attempting to cure the disease. In the video, Open Arms Hospice is the organization where Rebecca works, and it provides both in-home and facility-based care to patients in their final stages of life, aiming to maintain their quality of life.

💡In-Home Program

The In-Home Program mentioned in the script refers to the services provided by hospice organizations to patients in their own homes. This program is designed to offer care and support in a familiar and comfortable environment for the patient. Volunteers play a significant role in this program by assisting with various non-medical needs, as described by Rebecca.

💡Hospice House

A Hospice House is a facility where patients can receive hospice care in a dedicated and specialized environment. In the video, Rebecca discusses how volunteers at Open Arms Hospice support patients at the hospice house, providing companionship, emotional support, and assistance with non-medical needs, which complements the medical care provided by professionals.

💡Resource

In the context of the video, a 'resource' refers to the support and assistance provided to patients and their families by volunteers and hospice staff. Volunteers act as a resource by offering services such as companionship, respite for caregivers, and help with non-medical needs, which are essential in supplementing the care provided by medical professionals.

💡Caregiver

A caregiver in the hospice context is an individual, often a family member, who provides care for a loved one with a terminal illness. The video highlights how volunteers at Open Arms Hospice support caregivers by giving them breaks and offering assistance with various tasks, which is crucial for the well-being of both the patient and the caregiver.

💡Medical Care

Medical care in the hospice setting is specialized care provided by professionals such as nurses, doctors, and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to manage the patient's symptoms and provide comfort. Rebecca clarifies that volunteers at Open Arms Hospice focus on non-medical support, ensuring that the medical needs of patients are addressed by the professionals.

💡Assess

Assess, in the video, refers to the process of evaluating the needs of patients and their families to determine what kind of support or resources are required. Rebecca describes how she and her team assess needs, such as blankets, pillows, or prayer shawls, and ensure that these are provided to enhance the comfort and well-being of patients and families.

💡Social Workers

Social workers are professionals who assist individuals and families in navigating social and emotional challenges. In the context of the video, Rebecca mentions collaborating with social workers to identify and connect patients and families with additional community resources that may be needed beyond what the hospice can provide.

💡Cheer Cart

The Cheer Cart is a specific service mentioned in the video, which involves a cart that is circulated around the hospice house several times a day, offering water, snacks, and other items to patients and their families. This initiative is part of the hospice's effort to provide comfort and meet the needs of those in their care, ensuring that they have access to basic amenities without having to leave the hospice.

💡Orientation

Orientation in this context refers to the process by which new volunteers are introduced to the hospice program, its policies, and procedures. Rebecca explains that after the application and background check process, new volunteers undergo an orientation to familiarize them with their roles and responsibilities, ensuring they are well-prepared to support patients and families effectively.

Highlights

Rebecca Griffith introduces herself as a volunteer coordinator at Open Arms Hospice.

The role involves recruiting, training, and orienting new volunteers for both in-home and hospice house programs.

Open Arms Hospice has approximately 180 volunteers at any given time.

Volunteers act as a resource to families and patients, in addition to medical staff.

Volunteers provide non-medical care such as companionship and respite for caregivers.

Volunteers work closely with hospice staff to meet the needs of patients and families.

The coordinator assesses needs and ensures patients receive necessary materials like blankets or pillows.

The hospice collaborates with social workers and community resources to address larger needs.

Volunteers are responsive to specific requests from nurses, such as playing Elvis music for a patient.

The hospice offers a 'cheer cart' with snacks and water to patients and families several times a day.

Rebecca shares a personal connection, having a family member cared for by the same hospice.

She reflects on the compassionate care provided by the hospice staff to all patients, regardless of background.

The process for becoming a volunteer includes an online application, phone call, informal interview, and background checks.

New volunteers undergo orientation and are paired with seasoned volunteers for support.

The hospice aims to ensure that no one has to leave if they do not wish to, with all needs catered to on-site.

Rebecca emphasizes the remarkable and consistent care provided by the hospice staff to every patient.

Transcripts

my name is rebecca griffith and i'm a

volunteer coordinator here with open

arms hospice the role of volunteer

coordinator is to of course

recruit and train and orient new

volunteers

both for our in-home program and our

program here at the hospice house so we

have about 180 volunteers at any given

time and what we're doing is just

being

being a resource to the family as well

as the patient the nurses and doctors

and cnas their job is of course for the

patient to be the the top priority and

then we come in as volunteers to help

take care of the family in between

so

we're just making sure that we're

reaching out to all of our patients who

are either in their homes being cared

for or also here at the hospice house

so anything from hospitality to extra

love sitting with a patient

caring for holding hands

you know giving the caregiver a break

anything that we can do

that's just short of medical care that's

provided by the professionals

our volunteers work very closely with

our staff to to meet the needs and

whatever they make maybe so what we're

doing is we're trying to keep our as

volunteer coordinator keep our ear to

the ground but also be available to

staff whether they're

out in the homes

and

that would be the nurses or the social

workers or even the cnas we have a need

someone doesn't have

blankets or pillows or someone might

need a prayer shawl or a neck pillow

we're going to take that kind of assess

the need and make sure that that

person gets the materials they need

we also work with the social workers and

different resources in the area so if it

is a need that's bigger than maybe some

supplies that we might have on hand

we're going to outsource to different

programs and resources in the in our

local community

and then as far as needs here in the

hospice house the nurses will let me

know

you know mrs so-and-so needs someone to

sit with them um mr so-and-so really

likes

elvis music and so we look through our

our music that we have in the back and

make sure a volunteer goes in and sets

up the music and shows the family how to

use

the tv or the cd player however

and and those are just a couple of the

needs but we we also um if someone needs

a snack we're there to try to make sure

they have what they need we have a snack

cart that goes around which is really

nice it's called our cheer cart that

goes out several times a day with with

water and snacks and anything that

somebody might need so that

um we're just providing so nobody has to

leave if they don't want to leave they

can they can be here and their needs are

taken care of that sort of thing

when i came here i

got started and started going to

meetings and i noticed that a certain

nurse looked really familiar to me and i

hadn't put the two pieces together

but my mom helped me out and she said

you know

grandpa was with open arms hospice and i

went oh oh i wonder if that was his

nurse and come to find out um the nurse

i think she's in your interviews um dell

was my grandfather's nurse and so now i

get to work with the people that help

take care of my grandfather and that's

pretty that's pretty awesome and just

recently we had my great aunt and my

great uncle come into our care and just

to see your co-workers in a different

light to be on the other side of it to

be on the family side of hospice is it's

hard and yet you know your co-workers

and you know the love and and um

compassion and respect they have for

each family member and you'd like to

think that you're different as a staff

member but

you're not you're treated just the same

as any other person would be and i think

that that's pretty spectacular that

the care our staff provides our patients

is across the board whether you're a

family member or

just someone down the street who needs

the hospice care coming from whatever

background i think it's i think it's

just remarkable

anybody that wants to be a volunteer

with open arms hospice can go to our

website openarmshospist.org

and fill out a online

online application or they can also

call us we'll we'll make sure that we

put one in the mail to them they can do

an application that way if they happen

to stop by here at the hospice house we

have paper applications available at the

front desk and they'd fill those out the

process from there is once we have an

application we'll make a phone call to

the person who's interested in

volunteering

and then we'll set up an informal

interview and we take about 30 or 45

minutes to

tell the the interested person about

hospice program kind of get to know them

see if they would be a good fit and from

there we send them on their way to do

all of the um the medical background and

the background checks and everything

else and so once all that comes through

and they've done their

tb test and flu shot and things like

that that are required

we bring them in and we have an

orientation and then we partner them

with a seasoned volunteer to make sure

that they feel comfortable in the role

that they've decided to to be a part of