Volunteers Make Hospice Work

1,000 Trained People Give Selflessly to Others

By Kim Livesay

April is National Volunteer Month, and organizations across the country are celebrating the gifts of time and talent that individuals selflessly give to help others.

Nowhere is this commitment more valuable and heartfelt than in hospice – and Hospice of the Bluegrass is thriving in this community thanks to its volunteers.

Even when a person is nearing the end of life, there can be a lot of living to do.

Hospice makes that possible by bringing care, compassion and hope to patients and families facing life-limiting illness.

Nearly 1,000 trained volunteers support people during this journey. These volunteers make the mission of Hospice of the Bluegrass possible.

Hospice volunteers spend time at the bedside, help out family caregivers, participate with outreach efforts, assist in the office, provide fundraising support, and much more.

They give of themselves to make life better for others.

“Across the country, more than 355,000 dedicated volunteers provide more than 16 million hours of service every year,” said J. Donald Schumacher, president of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

“Hospice as we know it in the United States would not exist without the volunteers who do so much.”

Most hospice volunteers choose to give their time helping others because of their own experiences with the compassionate care hospice provided to their dying loved one.

During National Volunteer Month, Hospice of the Bluegrass celebrates the gifts of its volunteers who make our community a better place.

For more information on becoming a Hospice volunteer, visit www.hospicebg.org.