With graduation season approaching, Crossroads Hospice is reaching out to students to provide compassionate support for patients throughout its Greater Atlanta service region.
Medicare guidelines require all hospices to have a team of volunteers providing day-to-day administrative and/or direct patient care services in an amount that equals at least 5 percent of total patient care hours of all paid hospice employees and contract staff.
Crossroads welcomes student volunteers who are 16 years or older to donate time to hospice volunteering. By donating as little as 45 minutes per week, students can help fulfill community service hour requirements while refining their social skills, boosting self-confidence and developing new talents.
Volunteers are also welcome to help Crossroads staff in the office, including planning a “Gift of a Day,” which asks a patient to describe a perfect day and then makes it a reality, and writing life journals that chronicle the history, events, and blessings of a person’s life.
Volunteers share their favorite activities like reading, playing cards or other games, listening to music, or arts and crafts. They can also run errands and provide respite for family members.
“We call our volunteers ‘Ultimate Givers’ because they selflessly give extra love and comfort to terminally-ill patients and their families,” says Volunteer Coordinator Candyce Patterson. “Just being a friendly voice or giving caregivers a much-needed break makes a world of difference. Best of all, our volunteers often gain as much as they give—new relationships, new skills, self-esteem and great satisfaction.”
Information: Candyce Patterson at 770-270-9898 or candyce.patterson@crossroadshospice.com
About the Author
