Heartlinks Seeking Volunteers for Growing Hospice Program

No other branch of health care embraces volunteers as passionately as hospice does. Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care relies on volunteer support to help fulfill the mission of providing quality care to patients and their families. “The volunteer’s role is to be present, and each volunteer will get way more than what they give.” said Shelby Moore, executive director at Heartlinks. 
 
Volunteers can be used in nearly all aspects of the hospice program. As a vital part of the Heartlinks’ team, volunteers come from all walks of life and have a variety of skills, talents, and abilities. Opportunities to serve are diverse: visit patients and families to provide companionship, socialization and comfort; help with legacy work; run errands; make phone calls; help with clerical work; pet therapy. 
 
Heartlinks asks volunteers to sign up for at least one hour a week with a one-year commitment. The hours are flexible, and the coordinator will match patient needs with volunteer availability. No experience is necessary, and training is provided. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Right now, there are patients that requested a volunteer, but there are not enough trained volunteers available to fill growing requests. “The need for volunteers throughout our service area is great,” said Moore.
 
A group of courageous volunteers founded Heartlinks in 1978. The mission of Heartlinks is to enrich the quality of life for individuals and their families in need of comprehensive end-of-life care. This year alone, Heartlinks has had the privilege of serving 250 or 25% more patients and their families than in previous years. “In hospice, we get one chance to try and do everything the very best we can with each, and every person entrusted to our care”, said Moore.
 
For more details, please call Shelby at 509-837-1676, or learn more about how you can get involved by visiting: http://heartlinkshospice.org/volunteers/.