Virginians, Winter Weather Safety, and Hospice

WINTER IS HERE!

A Winter Road



A winter storm has hit Virginia, marking the first major snow event Virginia has experienced this year.  Because storms like this are so few and far between, Virginians are not always prepared for snow and ice covering our roadways and walkways.  This type of storm can shut down schools and businesses for days.

Of course, people are still sick and need to be cared for during this time.  Medi Hospice does the best it can to continue to care for the terminally ill receiving hospice our services.  Though our offices might be closed because of winter weather, staff remain on call around the clock to provide top-notch care. 

Nurses and social workers on call during these hours might educate a patient or family member on how to deal with a medical situation over the phone if a nurse can not get there or until a nurse can get there.  A nurse's soothing, knowledgeable voice over the phone can alleviate stress and help a caregiver or patient get through a particularly tough situation.  If an emergency arises, nurses might make an on call visit to patients, even during a snow storm.  It is always Medi's goal to provide the best care so that our patients and families can be comfortable confronting the difficult end of life process.

Safety is always important to our employees, especially during threatening weather conditions.  As this recent string of winter weather passes through, please be prepared to deal with the challenges this weather brings.  Stay off the roads while they are covered in ice and snow, unless there is an emergency or you must go to work or school.  You can find more information on how to cope with winter weather at the website of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.



Surviving Winter Weather as found on the Virginia Department of Emergency Management website.

Here are some other sites with information on getting through winter weather:

Virginia Department of Transportation - Winter Travel Information

TWC - Five Winter Driving Tips

About.com - How to Shovel Snow




New Study Finds Volunteering Increases Likelihood of Finding A Job

A new and ground breaking study conducted by the Corporation for National & Community Service shows that volunteering can increase an individuals chances of finding a job by as much as 27% more than those who do not volunteer.  Check on the video below along with the link here to the article, "Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment".

The benefits of volunteering have long been trumpeted as a way to entice the populace to sacrifice their time for a person or cause.  Having a positive impact on your community and building your experience through volunteering to increase your chances of landing that dream job are two great reasons to volunteer.  However, until now there has not been significant measurable data to back up the idea that volunteering can be a pathway to a paid position in the working world.

Volunteering for hospice helps prepare those who want to work in the medical field become more equipped and knowledgeable in their desired area of work.  Unquestionably, the compassionate and sometimes difficult work of a hospice volunteer helps individuals prepare for all kinds of workplace obstacles.  Aspiring medical social workers can help learn to navigate fragile family situations and relationships, perhaps even improving the way families get along in certain fortunate circumstances.  Those who wish to become nurses or case managers will interact with medical staff during their volunteer experience, seeing the ins and outs of what a day on the job for a traveling hospice nurse might be like.  Individuals who wish to work in an office or familiarize themselves with medical records can gain valuable experience as an office hospice volunteer.

One of the beautiful things about hospice is that the volunteer is not restricted to any particular type of service area.  There are volunteer positions for musicians, landscapers, gardeners, beauticians, cosmetologists, singers, clergy, seamstresses, pet therapists, military veterans and more. You could use your talents to benefit others in need of a helping hand all the while learning new and challenging ideas about life and death.  You could take care of a terminally ill patients lawn or help them paint their nails while watching Oprah or enjoy the big game on TV on Sunday.  

The possibilities are many and varied when volunteering with hospice.  And do not forget you would be boosting your chances at landing a job!  All the more reason to begin today in the compassionate work as a hospice volunteer!

If you are interested in volunteering for Medi Hospice to help our patients at the end of their lives, please contact me via e-mail at tkennedy@msa-corp.com.    

Make A Commitment to Life

Volunteer for Hospice

The philosophy of hospice is a simple one based upon comfort and care.  Rather than curing a disease at all costs, the hospice team seeks to make a patient as comfortable as possible by relieving the pain associated with life-limiting illness.  The hospice team typically consists of personal care physicians, registered nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, speech and physical therapists, and trained volunteers, all of whom play integral roles in helping make the patient's life more enjoyable.  Treating the patient in the comfort of their residence is also a defining characteristic of hospice treatment.

A trained volunteer pays visit to their patient on a regular basis.  These visits can include simple activities such as reading, walking, and talking.  Often times, a patient experiencing an end of life illness only needs someone to sit with them perhaps even in silence.  At times just the warm feeling of someone's presence, of someone who cares, can make all the difference in a patient's life.

Volunteers often describe their experience visiting Hospice patient's as life altering.  Serving as a companion to someone who suffers from terminal illness can not only help the patient's comfort, but it can also frame a volunteer's life in a new, more humbling perspective.  Do not simply take my word for it.  Check out a first hand testimonial from Johanna, one our long time volunteers:

Johanna visiting a patient.

 "Sometimes people (including my husband) have asked me if being a hospice volunteer isn’t a little too depressing. I must say it is truly a blessing to have the opportunity to serve families and patients during hard times. Being a hospice volunteer is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. As a hospice volunteer, I not only help patients and families by making their lives a little easier a few of times a month, but I also feel I’m making a difference in people’s lives by giving back to a community that has offered me so much."

- Johanna, Hospice Volunteer

“No joy can equal the joy of serving others.” 

-Sai Baba

Medi Home Hospice welcomes all compassionate, caring individuals to become volunteers!

If you would like to find out more about becoming a hospice volunteer please contact the Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, Travis Kennedy at 804-732-0108 or via e-mail at tkennedy@msa-corp.com.