Pine Tree Hospice offering online volunteer training for non-medical volunteers

Are you looking for something rewarding to do? Would you like to support an isolated neighbor but not sure how? There is a need for non-medical volunteers within Pine Tree Hospice’s service area of Piscataquis County and parts of Penobscot and Somerset counties. Non-medical hospice volunteers provide a variety of services based on the needs of the individual and family but does not include any medical care or assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing or dressing. What a volunteer’s service might look like is a ride for an isolated individual to a doctor’s appointment or simply just to get out of the house, or a drop off of groceries and a visit. Often the volunteer is providing respite to a caregiver that has not had a break in days and is so thankful just to be able to go to the grocery store or even to simply take a nap.

For over 34 years Pine Tree Hospice volunteers have been serving people whose illnesses can include COPD, cancer, forms of dementia or heart disease. Cheryl Crabtree, coordinator of volunteers & client services, works to match the right volunteer with the right need. As a volunteer, your time commitment is up to you, serve one hour a month or several hours a week. If you find direct service is not the right fit for you, opportunities are available to assist Pine Tree Hospice as a member of a committee.

Pine Tree Hospice’s 22-hour training is developed to meet the requirements of Maine licensing for volunteer hospice programs. The training covers an array of meaningful topics such as hospice philosophy, communication skills, family dynamics and grief, loss and transition.Presenters include Ardis Hacker and Sherry Corbin, long-time volunteers who are experienced in nursing and higher education. Other professionals share their expertise such as Nancy Rotkowitz, a clinical social worker, Lisa White with a background in Thanatology, and Sue Burgess, Pine Tree Hospice’s spiritual advisor and retired pastor.

This training empowers participants with information that can be useful in their personal life as well as in preparation to serve neighbors, friends, and communities. Whether you are interested in helping clients and families, or maybe serving indirectly on one of Pine Tree Hospice’s committees, volunteer training is a valuable tool that has many applications. Volunteering is beneficial to both client and volunteer. To learn more about the upcoming Pine Tree Hospice spring 2021 online volunteer training that begins on March 4, please do not hesitate to call 207-802-8078 or email coordinator@pinetreehospice.org.