Volunteer opportunities at Hospice

Niagara Hospice is recruiting volunteers to attend the next hospice volunteer training scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 4-5. Marketing, Public Relations and Volunteer Services Director Tricia Degan said, "We are in need of more volunteers interested in working with our hospice patients. Requests for friendly volunteer visits has grown and we hope to be able to pair volunteers with our patients, providing a meaningful experience for everyone."

Degan said there are many volunteer opportunities available, including working with patients and families, as well as in-direct patient care. The list below has examples of each:

• Companion visits;
• Pet and music visits;
• Transportation for shopping or medical visits for patients who are able to get out;
• Light housework or home repairs;
• Hairdressing;
• Veterans to visit with hospice patients who are veterans as part of the Niagara Hospice "We Honor Veterans" program;
• Vigil team volunteers;
• Working with events and other fundraisers; and
• Help maintaining the Memorial Gardens.

The agency's most immediate needs for volunteers are in the areas of making home visits to patients in the Lockport, North Tonawanda and Niagara Falls areas; visiting residents at Hospice at Jeanne's House at Northgate and at David's Path at Schoellkopf Health Care Facility; and certified pet visit volunteers. While visiting patients, volunteers may just talk, read the paper or a book to the patient, play cards or do other activities. They may also just provide a hand to hold while the family caregivers take a much-deserved break. Anyone able to help patients by providing light homemaking duties is also encouraged to attend the training.

The volunteer training will be held at Niagara Hospice at 4675 Sunset Drive in Lockport. Anyone interested can contact the Niagara Hospice volunteer office at 716-280-0748 for an application and to register. More information and volunteer applications are also available at www.NiagaraHospice.org.

Niagara Hospice has served over 25,000 Niagara County residents and their families since 1988. For more information, call Niagara Hospice at 716-439-4417 or visit www.NiagaraHospice.org.