NORWICH — When most people hear “hospice,” they think about death and dying. But Bayada Hospice, which serves more than 100 patients in the Upper Valley from its Norwich office, likes to focus on helping people live fully during the end of their lives.
“One thing that people might misunderstand is that it is more about living than dying,” Nancy Lindahl, volunteer coordinator at Bayada Hospice, said in an email. “To be eligible for hospice care, a patient must have a life expectancy of six months or less. However, it is important to remember that patients are continuing to live during that time. It is a special time with people reflecting on their life, what is important to them, what they want to accomplish before they die.”
Volunteers are an essential part of that mission. In fact, Medicare law requires that at least 5% of hospice care hours be delivered by volunteers.
“The thinking was that, along with maximizing health care resources, volunteers would keep hospice providers community oriented and patient- and family- focused,” Lindahl explained.
Today, hospice workers with Bayada provide an array of services to patients and their family members. Volunteers may help with running errands or driving a patient to appointments. Sometimes they provide companionship at home, or help a patient indulge in a beloved hobby or other “bucket list” activity.
“We never know what the next request will be,” Lindahl said. “We currently have a patient who is a ham radio operator and would like to meet a volunteer who shares that interest.”
Having a deep pool of volunteers with various skills and interests helps Bayada deliver the best possible end-of-life care. The organization is looking for more volunteers throughout the Upper Valley, but in particular in Windsor, Woodstock and Randolph.
Lindahl said that when patients are at the very end of their lives, the role of a volunteer changes. They may be asked to be a calming, peaceful presence by the bedside, or even sit vigil so that a patient does not die alone. Although this is a different type of volunteering, Lindahl said that it is very important and rewarding.
“For volunteers, it can be a privilege to be a part of this experience,” she said. “Volunteers find it to be meaningful and gratifying rather than morbid or depressing.”
They also help provide an essential service to people at the end of their lives.
“We love our volunteers,” Lindahl said. “They are truly an integral part of the hospice team of nurses, home health aides, social workers and spiritual counselors. They develop close relationships with their patients and their input and feedback is important to a patient’s individualized plan of care.”
Volunteers are asked to commit an hour or two each week. People who are interested in volunteering can attend an upcoming information session at Bayada’s office, 316 Main St., Unit EH, 6, Norwich. The sessions will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m on Monday, April 15, and Wednesday, April 17.
For more information contact Lindahl at nlindahl@bayada.com or 802-526-2380.