Nonprofit Looks to Alpena Area for Volunteers Wanting to Give Back This Year
ALPENA, Mich. (Jan. 14, 2019) – The calendar has turned to 2019, and that means many of us are looking to start-over and set new goals for ourselves.
Hospice of Michigan, the original and largest hospice provider in the state, has an opportunity for those who want to spend more time volunteering this year.
On Thursday, Jan. 24, caring and compassionate people interested in donating their time to Hospice of Michigan can attend a New Volunteer Orientation at 145 N. State Ave. from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Volunteers like Vickie Fields, who has been with Hospice of Michigan for more than 10 years, help provide socialization and companionship to patients or caregivers through activities such as playing cards, listening to music or simple conversation.
“When patients are close to death, I sit bedside vigil,” said Fields. “I remember once talking to a patient during a bedside vigil, and I was using imagery about being at peace, flowing down a river and no longer experiencing illness and pain, and how beautiful everything was. The hospice aide came to help move this patient into her own private room, and then we wheeled her in the wheelchair down to the new room. As we were getting her room ready, she peacefully passed away. I think she felt the movement of the wheelchair as if it was the flowing river; she was on the peaceful ride and then she just let go.”
Veteran volunteers are especially needed to visit with veteran patients. Interested individuals who would like to register for this class can contact Kathy Lietaert at 231.779.5409 or klietaer@hom.org. For more information about Hospice of Michigan, please call 888-247-5701.
About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan (HOM) is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. A founding member of the NorthStar Care Community, the nonprofit delivers the highest quality of care, raising more than $5 million each year to cover costs for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life. HOM also provides grief support and counseling, as well as caregiver education and support. A member of the NorthStar Care Community, HOM also provides palliative care through NorthStar Palliative Care, pediatric hospice care and compassionate support services through Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through the NorthStar Institute. The NorthStar Care Community also includes Arbor Hospice. In total, NorthStar Care Community members serve nearly 6,500 patients annually across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. For more information, call 888.247.5701.