To make a core team, like our Angels of Mercy volunteers, to help lift the many burdens of the primary caregiver, it takes people of all ages and interests with varied life experiences, skills, talents, training, education, faiths, strength, backgrounds, whether male or female, teens or senior citizen.
For more information on ways to care or training volunteers
Our volunteers learn many things: from the signs and symptoms of the major illnesses and diseases and handicaps that commonly afflict those who are elderly, to safety issues and how to solve them.
Communication skills are taught to help volunteers deal with differing family structures and cultural and religious perspectives dealing with death, illness and the approach to medicine.
Safety issues are of great concern and the volunteers are taught how to spot potentially dangerous situations and how to solve the problem through helping families with plans for upgrading and perhaps changing things in the home that would make getting around dangerous.
They are taught the importance of cooking and serving an appetizing and nutritious meal.
The importance of the Spiritual Journey of those near death has a central place in this course. The impact which the volunteers own spiritual journey has on their care giving is discussed.
The home is a Respect Life environment where food, water, cleanliness and warmth and comfort care (the principles of ordinary care) are part of the primary focus. Added to that are fellowship, reading and moving about the home as desired.
Healing while participating in the class is a common experience by all as personal attitudes toward death and dying surface and are shared in class discussions. Others learn to listen, with their hearts, more closely to what is being said by "the other person".
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, we invite you to contact us about our comprehensive volunteer training course for the answers to these and many more.
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Have you felt helpless when faced with the sudden illness of a family member, neighbor or friend?
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Have you wanted to help but felt awkward, at a loss for words or uncomfortable in reaching out?
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Have you ever been afraid that if a serious illness, stroke, heart attack or terminal ill- ness struck your own family, you wouldn’t know what to do or if you could handle it?
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Have you wanted to reach out to others who were approaching the end of life; but you had no idea where to begin or what to do?
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Have you ever wanted to know how to bring comfort and peace to those who are dying but don’t know how to reach out ?
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Have you struggled with issues at the end-of-life looking for answers to your questions without finding them?
