Honoring More Than 200 Volunteers During National Volunteer Month in April
SALISBURY, MD – April 28, 2020 – National Volunteer Month provides the opportunity to recognize the millions of Americans who provide volunteer service in communities across the country. At Coastal Hospice, 210 trained volunteers are giving selflessly to help people live as fully as possible, even when facing a serious or life-threatening illness. Even now, when our volunteers can’t visit patients and their families in the home, they are helping our staff meet needs by sewing handmade face masks and making check-in calls to approximately 160 patients at home.
“Given that hospice volunteers accompany people along the journey of a serious or life-threatening illness, they serve an essential part in enabling Coastal Hospice to offer the best care possible. As an organization, we are so thankful for our team of volunteers and they are greatly missed by patients and staff during this unprecedented time. Over the last week we have been calling and personally thanking each and every volunteer for their service,” said Renee Smith, Manager of Volunteer Services.
It is federally mandated under Medicare that five percent of all patient care hours be provided by trained volunteers. At Coastal Hospice, our dedicated volunteer team exceeds that mandate and provides ten percent of all patient care hours, reflecting the vital role that volunteers play in the provision of care.
For those interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at Coastal Hospice, please visit www.coastalhospice.org.
Do You Know Coastal Hospice & Palliative Care?
Coastal Hospice is a non-profit health care organization dedicated to caring for individuals who are facing life-limiting conditions but do not want to be defined by them. Hospice care, which is a free Medicare and insurance benefit, is delivered in patients’ homes, in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, at Coastal Hospice at the Lake and the new Stansell House. Palliative care, designed to help manage the pain, symptoms and stress of long-term, terminal illness, is also provided. Family education, pediatric hospice care, bereavement care and much more is also available. In 2020, Coastal Hospice is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of serving Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. Learn more about Coastal Hospice at www.coastalhospice.org and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Caption: Renee Smith, Manager of Volunteer Services, marks Coastal Hospice’s 40th Anniversary with volunteers at a recent celebration for volunteers and staff.
