- April 26, 2024
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Florida Hospital HospiceCare covers Volusia and Flagler counties.
BY WAYNE GRANT | STAFF WRITER
A 12-year volunteer for Florida Hospital HospiceCare, Mary Ellen Keck, 67, of Palm Coast, has many memories. She has used her dogs for pet therapy, helped patients write letters, wrapped Christmas presents and conducted tours in the hospice office.
Mostly, though, she provides companionship for patients and a respite for caregivers.
“I have a purpose in life beyond bridge, golf and friends,” she said. “I want to help others any way I can to live life to the fullest until they pass away.”
The patients in hospice care have a life-threatening illness and no longer take part in curative or aggressive treatment, according to coordinator Barbara Cady. They may be living at home, in assisted living, at the hospice facility at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, in Daytona Beach, or at the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House, in Palm Coast.
Volunteers for Florida Hospital HospiceCare are trained to provide respite, spiritual support and companionship to patients andtheir families in three, eight-hour sessions.
An at orientation Tuesday, in Ormond Beach, Cady said they asked volunteers for a one-year commitment. Most volunteer four hours or fewer each week.
For some, volunteering means helping patients create a “life legacy.” The patient tells their life story, and it is recorded by the volunteer on a CD, which is given to the family. Sometimes, instead of a life story, the patient will leave a message for loved ones.
“I’ve heard of the CD being played at a memorial service,” Cady said. “One man said he played it in the car, and it was like having his mother there.”
Volunteers can also help by performing clerical work in the HospiceCare office or performing miscellaneous tasks, such as making blankets and quilts.
Keck uses her dogs for pet therapy. Many patients had a dog at one time in their life, she says, but they are not able to care for one anymore.
HospiceCare matches volunteers to patients. Keck, a master gardener, talks to patients about plants and flowers. Cady said she remembers a patient who asked for a volunteer who had played golf. The patient could not play, but he and the volunteer rode around a golf course in a cart.
Another volunteer opportunity is called “pastoral care.” Working with the chaplain, the volunteers pray with the patient or read scripture.
“Some say, ‘That’s all that can be done,’ but that’s not true,” Cady said of hospice care. “We take a mind-body-and-spirit approach to treat symptoms, pain management and improve quality of life.”
The facility is also always seeking extra volunteers who are flexible, non-judgemental, compassionate and good listeners.
“It’s not your typical volunteer opportunity,” Cady said. “It’s not for everyone.”
Call 671-4761, or 800-404-1133, ext. 4761, for more.
