Plenty of opportunities for you to volunteer

    Following up on Dr. Fernow’s February article about all that is happening on the health and aging front in Piscataquis County, I want to remind you of her invitation to get involved. She’s absolutely right: We need you! So just how can you help? Let us count the ways…

    One immediate way to help adults of all ages who have progressive, life-limiting conditions is to become a volunteer with Pine Tree Hospice (PTH). Becoming a hospice volunteer lets you offer whatever amount of time you choose to helping individuals and families cope with the stress of living with a challenging illness. You might provide transportation, companionship, or assistance with errands and household tasks. Many people mistakenly assume that becoming a hospice volunteer means sitting at the bedside of a dying person. While that is one very important way one might help, it is by no means the only way. There are plenty of other opportunities to assist hospice clients, and there are also many tasks one can do to support PTH without serving clients directly.
    Pine Tree Hospice is one of only five volunteer hospices in Maine, and it is one of fewer than one hundred in the whole country. What distinguishes volunteer hospices from medical hospices is that they depend entirely on grants and donations and they may serve individuals for as long as necessary. Medical hospices receive reimbursement and typically serve people with a life expectancy of six months or less. Because volunteer hospice programs like PTH depend heavily on donations, keeping an eye on the PTH website (www.pinetreehospice.org) and participating in fundraising events like the annual snow golf tournament held in February is a one simple way to contribute.
    More male and female PTH volunteers are needed everywhere, but currently there is a great need for male volunteers in the Monson, Abbot, and Greenville areas. There is also a pressing need for volunteers in Milo and Brownville. If you are interested in becoming a Pine Tree Hospice volunteer, call 564-4440, or send an email to wecare@pinetreehospice.org.
   Serving on a work group of the Piscataquis Thriving in Place Collaborative (PTC) is another option for helping to make Piscataquis a healthier and more aging-friendly region.
    The PTC is funded by the Maine Health Access Foundation to better integrate and coordinate services and supports for medically vulnerable adults who are at risk of hospitalization or other forms of institutional care.
    There are several PTC work groups focused on: increasing support to caregivers; increasing affordable, health-related transportation; increasing access to in-home services and supports; increasing intergenerational and community activities for older adults; and increasing the number of active volunteers in the region.
    If you are interested in joining one of these work groups, please call Meg Callaway at (207) 947-1410, ext. 139, or send an email to meg.callaway@charlottewhite.org.
    The Maine Highlands Senior Center, located at Central Hall, will eventually be a hub for organizing and promoting many community activities for older adults. It will also be the new home for Senior Network, as well as an adult day services center.
    If you are interested in learning more about how to actively support this effort, you may contact Dr. Lesley Fernow at 992-6822 or send an email to lmfernow@rcn.com.