Alpena’s Hospice of Michigan Seeks Volunteers

If you have any of the following skills – cosmetology, massage therapy, or photo, video and computer skills, Alpena’s Hospice of Michigan would like your help.

Hospice care is the act of helping someone physically and spiritually at the end of their life. Each of the skills they’re seeking from volunteers helps those people in different ways.

“It’s nice to have a volunteer to be able to come into the home and provide services for the patient,” said Hospice of Michigan Volunteer Program Manager, Kathy Lietart.

Those who are interested in volunteering for the cosmetology and massage therapy positions must have an up-to-date license. For the tech savvy volunteers, Hospice of Michigan is starting a new program to support patients with dementia.

“They load songs onto an MP3 player from an era earlier in time when a patient with dementia could remember and relate to the music,” said Lietart.

Those songs will connect the patients with a time they’re able to remember, and then their reactions are noted. The patients will sometimes dance or sing along to the music, and it’s an emotional moment for them to have those memories.

For those who want to help, the aforementioned skills are required, but you don’t have to be a professional.

“Anyone can do this, you don’t need a talent – I say talent, but you don’t need a talent or a skill,” said Lietart. “If you want to be with people, if you like people, and spending time with people, why not spend time with people at end of life, you can learn so much from them.”

They are appreciative of those who do want to help.

“I could say thank you, I could say it in a million ways, I would say thank you, and you amaze me, because of all of the talents and the care that they bring,” said Lietart.

If you possess any of these skills and would like to help Hospice of Michigan in Alpena, you can visit www.hom.org, or contact Kathy Lietart at 231-779-5409.