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Flexible Schedule
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Louisville, KY 40220
Louisville Community Comfort Choir (LC3) a forming chapter of Threshold Choir and in partnership with Hosparus Health Our mission is to comfort people who are in their last days of life, with soothing voices joined in harmony. We value diversity, gratitude, compassion and strengthening our community. Rehearsals are held the first and third Thursday 7 to 8:30 pm at Hosparus Health on Dutchmans Lane. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE to attend rehearsals. Send an email to LouisvilleC3@pm.me, contact Sky at Hosparus Health, or reply to this post for more details. There is no audition to join LC3, however some vocal skills are required, including: Being able to carry a tune, Being able to hold your own part while others sing in harmony, Being able to sing softly and blend your voice with others, Being willing to accept peer feedback as we work together to produce graceful sound, Being able to sing bedside to seriously ill and dying patients. Some additional factors to think about: Are you able to commit to attending rehearsals twice a month? Would you be able to spend time outside of rehearsals learning parts? Are you willing to explore your beliefs about death and dying, and to share those within our group? Are you willing to invest time in getting to know other choir members, learning repertoire, and building bedside singing skills? Are you willing to visit a hospice unit, or other facilities caring for the infirmed and older people? We provide training and guidance for being present with seriously ill patients. Requirements for joining include: Fully vaccinated for Covid, and obtaining a flu shot yearly, by Nov 1. Becoming a member of the Threshold Choir (there is a sliding scale membership fee - you won't join until you've attended at least 2 rehearsals. Don't sign up to be a member before attending a rehearsal!) Submitting a volunteer application to Hosparus Health and agreeing to volunteer guidelines (as much of our singing will be at the Hosparus Inpatient Care Center). Visit thresholdchoir.org or hosparushealth.org to learn more about either organization. We welcome you to attend a rehearsal before committing to Threshold Choir or Hosparus Health, but you must register in advance to attend. For additional informational, contact Sky at LouisvilleC3@pm.me or reply to this post TIME We've only just begun! We're still in the process of forming our choir, and until we have established ensembles, the time commitment in person is twice a month, for 3-4 hours. Once we're ready to sing bedside, the time commitment will vary based on the ensemble. It will most likely be an hour visit once or twice a month. LOCATION Rehearsals and training take place at Hosparus Health's main office on Dutchman's Lane. We'll be singing bedside to patients at Hosparus Inpatient Care Center at Norton Pavilion on Broadway, Hildegard House in Butchertown, nursing homes throughout Louisville and possibly at community events. WHAT ELSE A volunteer manager and music director will support you, with input from current hospice volunteers. All costs for training, the background check and TB tests are covered by Hosparus Health. If you're ready to get started, visit hosparushealth.org, and click on the volunteer tab to apply.
Date Posted: Sep 18, 2023
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Flexible Schedule
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Louisville, KY 40202
Hosparus Inpatient Care Center, or HICC ( we call it the high-sea) is a 20-bed inpatient hospice unit located at the Norton Pavilion. The primary role of a HICC volunteer is to provide presence. You won't be providing any hands-on care, such as moving a patient, and volunteers never handle medications. Volunteers have firm boundaries on what you can and can't do. As a HICC volunteer, you'll have a regularly scheduled shift, usually about 2 hours. You'll check in with staff who will provide guidance on patient needs. The priority is to sit with people closest to death who have no family or visitors present. You may spend part of your time at the unit with one patient, then sit with another who would benefit from your presence. You will be present and sit in silence, contemplative meditation, or reading. We believe hearing is the last sense to go, so even if the patient is non-responsive, your presence will make a difference. You might be the last human to speak a kind word to someone very close to death. Some patients at the HICC are there for respite, meaning a short break, and would love to have someone spend some time with them. You might play games, cards, or read. You'll provide much needed companionship, relieve loneliness, and share interests. HICC volunteers also provide support to family and friends. Sometimes a family member doesn't want to leave their loved one alone and are reluctant to leave the room to take care of themselves, You'll be able to reassure them that their loved one will have a compassionate presence until their return. Or there may be times when there is only one family member in the room with a non-responsive patient who would welcome some companionship, and would love to tell you about their loved one. There's also opportunity to support staff by checking rooms for stock levels, tidying up family waiting rooms, or assembling patient admission packets. We have strict guidelines for infection control, and you'll not be allowed to enter patient rooms who have more complex illnesses. We don't currently have any Covid precautions and follow the guidelines of Norton Healthcare. Obviously, you must be comfortable with death and dying. You need to be an active listener and able to convey compassion to patients, family and friends present, and with staff. We'll give you lots of resources to become familiar with the dying process, as well as bereavement. This isn't your typical volunteer role, and it isn't for everyone. Awareness of death will change your life. TIME HICC volunteers have a weekly or biweekly shift of 90 minutes to 3 hours. You can select the day and shift, provided there is an opening in the schedule. Evening and weekend coverage is especially needed. LOCATION The HICC is located at Norton Pavilion on Broadway, Parking is available in the attached garage and validated for your shift. Initial training will occur at Hosparus Health main office on Dutchmans Lane. TRAINING After you submit your volunteer application, we'll be in touch to schedule training. We provide a mix of online modules and a concise in person training session, with monthly continuing education and an informative weekly e-newsletter. For the HICC, after you train with a volunteer manager, you'll shadow with an experienced volunteer until you feel comfortable volunteering on your own. WHAT ELSE A volunteer manager will provide you with ongoing support and guidance. All costs for training, the background check and TB tests are covered by Hosparus Health. HICC volunteers must submit some additional proof of immunization for MMR, Varicella, TDap and optional HepB. If you're not sure whether you've had those immunizations, we'll cover the cost of titers to look for immunity. If you're ready to get started, visit hosparushealth.org, and click on the volunteer tab to apply. Be sure to put on the application that you specifically want to help at the HICC.
Date Posted: Sep 18, 2023
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Flexible Schedule
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New Albany, IN 47150
Use your skills and talents to provide handmade care blankets to seriously ill patients in hospice and palliative care. This is a work from home, whenever you'd like opportunity. The ideal size for blankets is about 3’ x 4’. The blanket will be going over the width of a hospital bed, or in a patient’s lap. The larger the blanket is, the harder it is for a patient to use. We’d rather serve more patients with 2 lap blankets than 1 full size blanket. Crochet, knit, or quilted blankets are accepted. Contributions must be clean, in new condition and from a non-smoking environment, with no perfumes or other scents of any kind. Please use caution if you have pets - materials and finished goods must be free from pet hair and smells. It’s fine to wash the blankets before you deliver to us, but avoid scented detergent or fabric softeners. We won't be able to use items that don't meet these criteria. We are not accepting fleece tied blankets. It’s acceptable to use fleece or flannel in a blanket with a sewn edge. For crochet or knit blankets, a pattern or mix of colors is ideal, rather than one solid color. We serve male and female patients, so please consider bright or neutral colors. Seriously ill patients want to be reminded of the best moments in life, so cheerful, happy colors are good! We also have an ongoing need for handmade patriotic blankets to present with a special certificate of appreciation to our seriously ill veterans. Our care blanket makers and other contributors of handmade goods are included in our volunteer program as CareMakers. Your service hours and number of blankets donated will be recorded. Each year, tens of thousands of service hours are contributed to our organization from the time spent making care blankets and other handmade goods . We love working with groups! A speaker can come to your sewing ministry or neighborhood knitting group to talk about our services and how care blankets benefit seriously ill patients. The earlier patients contact us the more we can help them create more meaningful moments and lasting memories. The love and intention CareMakers put into their handcrafted goods is a meaningful way to provide care to those who could really use the support.
Date Posted: Sep 18, 2023
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Flexible Schedule
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Louisville, KY 40220
Visit with a patient to provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and share interests. During your visit you will often sit and talk with a seriously ill patient, with your primary role to provide presence and support. You might play games, cards, or read. Sometimes, you might simply be present and sit in silence with a patient who is too ill to converse. Respite means giving a short break to the patient’s primary caregiver, usually a close family member or a friend. You might sit with a patient for a couple of hours so their caregiver can get out for much needed self-care or for an appointment. Volunteers have firm boundaries on what you can and can't do. You won't be providing any hands on care, such as feeding or moving a patient and volunteers never handle medications. TIME Most patient companion assignments are about one hour weekly or biweekly. You'll be able to choose the time you'd like to visit when you first meet your patient. Evenings and weekends are great times to schedule a visit. LOCATION You can visit with a patient in your neighborhood, or wherever you feel called to help. Our patients live throughout Louisville and surrounding counties and across Southern Indiana . We serve patients wherever they call home - in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in the patient's own home. TRAINING After you submit your volunteer application, we'll be in touch to schedule training. We provide a mix of online modules and a concise in person training session, with monthly continuing education and an informative weekly e-newsletter. WHAT ELSE A volunteer manager will work with your visit preferences and provide you with ongoing support. All costs for training, the background check and TB tests are covered by Hosparus Health. If you're ready to get started, visit hosparushealth.org, and click on the volunteer tab to apply.
Date Posted: Sep 18, 2023
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Flexible Schedule
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New Albany, IN 47150
Visit with a patient to provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and share interests. During your visit you will often sit and talk with a seriously ill patient, but your primary role is to provide presence and support. You might play games, cards, or read. Sometimes, you might simply be present and sit in silence with a patient who is too ill to converse. Respite means giving a short break to the patient’s primary caregiver, usually a close family member or a friend. You might sit with a patient for a couple of hours so their caregiver can get out for much needed self-care or for an appointment. Volunteers have firm boundaries on what you can and can't do. You won't be providing any hands on care, such as feeding or moving a patient and volunteers never handle medications. TIME Most patient companion assignments are about one hour weekly or biweekly. You'll be able to choose the time you'd like to visit when you first meet your patient. Evenings and weekends are great times to schedule a visit. LOCATION You can visit with a patient in your neighborhood, or wherever you feel called to help. Our patients live across Southern Indiana . We serve patients wherever they call home - in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in the patient's own home. TRAINING After you submit your volunteer application, we'll be in touch to schedule training. We provide a mix of online modules and a concise in person training session, with continuing education throughout the year. WHAT ELSE A volunteer manager will work with your visit preferences and provide you with ongoing support. All costs for training, the background check and TB tests are covered by Hosparus Health. If you're ready to get started, visit hosparushealth.org, and click on the volunteer tab to apply.
Date Posted: Sep 18, 2023
