Volunteers Provide Companionship in Exchange for Unforgettable Moments with Patients

Team / Staff

Healing Care Hospice loves our volunteers! We have four volunteer programs: Direct Patient Care, Administrative, Phone Support, and Memory Bear. Currently, our Direct Patient Care and Administrative Programs are at full steam. Meanwhile, we are in the final stages of relaunching our Memory Bear Program since its hiatus due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Meet Francis Tam, an aspiring nurse and Direct Patient Care Volunteer.

Francis sought us out in hopes of finding a place that would allow her the opportunity to “meet patients’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs while being resilient and culturally sensitive.” She says that HCH has fulfilled her goal of providing companionship to those in need.

Francis enjoys the little moments during her visits where she can share some laughs with her patients while making puzzles, reading out loud, or having heart to heart conversations.

She adds that her virtual training through HCH’s Bridge Program, along with her in-person training from our healthcare professionals, have provided her with the tools she needs to “uncover a horizon of new learnings.”

Meanwhile, Kiri Oshiro worked as an Administrative Volunteer before a staff position became available; Kiri is now our Volunteer Coordinator.

Since coming into this position, Kiri has expanded on ways to incorporate volunteers into receiving a broad range of first-hand experiences in the hospice field such as researching updated resources for social workers and chaplains to share with patients and their families.

“I really loved Administrative Volunteering because I got to see more of the behind the scenes of what it takes to run a hospice,” Kiri shared. “From my experience as a volunteer, I believe it was strongly emphasized to me that it takes a village to raise a child and it also takes a village to let someone pass.”

We cannot thank our volunteers enough for the impeccable and consistent service they provide to our patients. If you’re interested in applying to be a volunteer, please send us an email at volunteer@healingcarehospice.com, call us at 323-988-1245, or visit our Volunteers category by clicking here:

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Written by: V Perera