I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was 24 years old. As my mother’s primary caregiver, her end-of-life care was largely my responsibility. I remember the time as being marked by intense grief, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. My local hospice care team was a true blessing during that time.

Through all of that pain, every day, I looked forward to visits from them. They gave us such a great sense of comfort and much needed peace of mind. They were patient with me and made sure I had every resource available when I needed it. It’s been three years since her passing and I still have immense gratitude for the help I received.

I wanted to help ease the burden and anxiety I knew was felt by so many other families because I understood their loss. I also understood that a loved one’s final days and months could be a time of peace, healing, sharing of memories, and a celebration of their life. I wanted to do my part in making that a reality for others.

I began the hospice volunteer process in November of 2011 and I have been seeing patients ever since. The BAYADA team is a phenomenal group of professionals who are excellent at what they do. Their gratitude for the volunteers is deeply felt and they make every effort to include us as a vital part of the organization. The work they do is incredible and I am honored to be a part of something so wonderful.

My patients are some of the most dynamic and interesting people I have ever met. I hear their stories of true love, hardships, war, cats, candy, music, dance, and the "good ol’ days."

Hospice volunteer plays flute

I am a flutist of many years and I play music for my patients every week. I must say they are the most grateful audience of my career to date. They are a true inspiration to me and their wisdom brings joy to my life. For some people, hospice volunteering may sound scary. Most think it’s all about death, but truthfully hospice is about life. We laugh, tell stories, listen, read, talk, and do our best to help, in any way we can. Being a hospice volunteer can be one of the most rewarding experiences to have. The patients and family caregivers are so incredibly gracious and I am humbled to be part of such intimate moments in a family’s life.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a hospice volunteer, contact us:

Philadelphia metro area Jennifer Matznerjmatzner@bayada.com

Norwich, VT area Nancy Pessianpessia@bayada.com

Burlington, VT are Jeanne Comouche jcomouche@bayada.com

Rutland, VT area Kate Lathrop klathrop@bayada.com

If you have a home health care story you would like to share, please email us at mystory@bayada.com.