Not-for-profit seeking volunteers to support local patients and families
ANN ARBOR – Arbor Hospice is seeking compassionate volunteers to help patients and families dealing with life-limiting illnesses throughout the Ann Arbor and surrounding areas.
The not-for-profit has a specific need for companionship volunteers in the Brighton, Fenton and Howell communities who can make a real difference in the lives of others by visiting patients. Companionship volunteers offer comfort and company to patients living at home or in a facility setting through activities such as playing cards, listening to music or having conversations.
“We are calling on the community to start the new year right by gathering their friends and family and becoming Arbor Hospice volunteers,” said Ruth Moore-Lilly, volunteer program manager at Arbor Hospice. “We significantly rely on the volunteers; they make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. Regardless of how individuals volunteer with us, every hour dedicated helps us provide compassionate care for those with life-limiting illnesses.”
While Hercules is a furry volunteer that sometimes falls asleep ‘on the job,’ Ellen Hammond is a healthcare worker who experienced hospice in her personal life. Their goal is simple: brighten the day of a hospice patient through pet (and human) companionship.
“Hercules loves to fall asleep on the floor during our visits. One of my patients put it very nicely,” said Hammond. “It’s just relaxing to have him here.”
All volunteers are required to complete orientation, background checks and fingerprinting prior to volunteering. Volunteers must also be 18 or older. For those who have experienced a recent loss, Arbor Hospice requires a waiting period of one year before becoming a hospice volunteer to allow for the processing of grief.
Arbor Hospice volunteers are vital in helping to deliver exceptional, compassionate support to patients and families according to its mission of caring for patients wherever they call home, right in the same community in which its volunteers live.
Those interested in volunteering can contact Ruth Moore-Lilly at 248-794-0523 or rmoore-lilly@hom.org. To learn more about Arbor Hospice or submit an online volunteer application, visit arborhospice.org/get-involved.
About Arbor Hospice
Arbor Hospice, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, provides quality, compassionate care for those experiencing life-limiting illnesses throughout Washtenaw County and surrounding communities. A founding member of the NorthStar Care Community, Arbor offers certified community-based hospice services and palliative care through NorthStar Palliative Care, as well as grief support services and community education programs. Through other NorthStar Care Community members, Arbor also provides pediatric hospice care and compassionate support services through Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through the NorthStar Institute. The NorthStar Care Community also includes Hospice of Michigan and Centrica Care Navigators. In total, NorthStar Care Community members serve more than 9,800 patients annually across Michigan. For more information, visit www.arborhospice.org or call 888-992-2273.
