On Nov. 28, 29 and 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, MaineHealth Care at Home will be offering a hospice volunteer training course at its office in Newcastle. The free training will provide those interested in becoming a certified hospice volunteer with information about the history of hospice, grief and bereavement, spirituality, family dynamics, and symptom management. Presenters for the three-day training include Dr. Deborah Peabody, the Rev. Ken Dale, Kandyce Powell, RN, Jacki Sanborn, RN, Kathe Pilibosian, LCSW and Heidi McCaffrey, MSW.

Hospice care provides humane and compassionate care for patients who have an incurable disease using a family-centered team approach. Hospice volunteers are compassionate, caring people from all walks of life and ages who want to make a real difference during a difficult time.  Hospice volunteers become trusted listeners for the patient and caregiver by providing short respite breaks, help with tasks such as letter writing, reading, and errands. 

Prospective volunteers must receive 20 hours of training and undergo background screenings and an interview before they are certified to work with hospice patients. MaineHealth Care at Home provides these at no cost. Preregistration and completion of a hospice volunteer training application by Nov. 26 is required.

For more information or to request a volunteer training application, call Connie Jones at 207-468-1423 or email cjones3@mhcah.org