A need for more community members to train as palliative care volunteers and the ability to source ongoing funding are priorities for the recently established Mount Gambier In Home Hospice Care (IHHCARE).
The free of charge, not for profit community service has been made possible through the funding of $149,000 from the SA Government Palliative Care 2020 Grants Program.
Hospice manager Sandi Elliott said trained volunteers started to provide care in August this year to local people, who wished to die at home, along with support to their family/carers.
“The need for this model of in-home care is obvious with all our trained volunteers currently allocated to clients,” she said.
“A total of 170 total volunteer care hours has been provided up to the end of November.
“But the demand for our volunteers means that we are now seeking expressions of interest from the community for two new intakes of volunteers to occur in early February 2022.
“With 75% of our clients being male, we would like to build our number of male volunteers.
“Three men trained in our initial group and we would most appreciate hearing from others within our community who may be interested.”
Ms Elliott said anyone over 18 years was welcome to enquire about volunteering with IHHCARE.
“No specific skills are required, with those wishing to become volunteers usually expressing a desire to help others and have had some life experience that has touched them,” she said.
“Each volunteer’s level of commitment varies and depends on how much time they have to give.
“All volunteers undertake Palliative Care training and are supported by the hospice staff.”
Ms Elliott said the benefits of the Hospice in the Home care were already being recognised with positive feedback received about the service.
“Clients have expressed they wished they had engaged us sooner and they are so very grateful that we are there to support both them and their families/carers,” she said.
“It is rewarding when we receive feedback expressing feelings of gratitude, when the person’s comments include, ‘the family really appreciate it’; ‘it is far more than I ever expected’ and ‘I never thought I would have the opportunity to die at home, but now with your program, I can do that’.
“Our volunteers do not administer medication, medical care or advice, focusing instead on giving practical and emotional support to people with a life-limiting illness, and their care network, to ‘live well and die well’ in their choices to maximise their time and/or death at home.
“They have been providing a variety of activities ranging from taking clients to medical or social appointments, on social drives, or out for a meal as well as spending time at their home, doing some food prep, playing cards, talking, or just listening along with giving the family or carer a chance to have a break or much-needed sleep.”
Ms Elliott said generous community contributions were making a real difference to people’s lives, with the local Woodlands Craft Group donating handknitted rugs and blankets and Ian Bond from the Men’s Shed crafting comfort birds and crosses.
