×

Hospice of Michigan looking for veterans to volunteer

Vickie Fields

ALPENA — Hospice of Michigan is always looking for volunteers.

Currently, they are looking for special kinds of volunteers — veterans.

Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hospice of Michigan was setting up training classes for a group of veterans recruited through an outreach to the community, according to Kathy Lietaert, regional program manager of the north region.

“Then, the pandemic hit and the veteran training class schedule never took place,” Lietaert said. “We have lost volunteers over the past two years and have barely recruited. We really need to vamp up recruiting this year.”

Lietaert said Hospice recruited about 10 new volunteers per year, in a normal year before the pandemic and she would like to double that this year.

Lietaert said many hospice patients are veterans. Some veterans only feel comfortable talking to other veterans, and that could make a real difference for them in dealing with the issues they face at the end of their lives, she said.

Lietaert explained that the volunteers perform no physical care, but rather provide companionship.

“There is no pay, but your heart will get full,” Lietaert said.

Vickie Fields, of Presque Isle, has been a Hospice of Michigan volunteer since 2006.

Fields said that there are lots of things that volunteers do with Hospice of Michigan patients, including talking, reading, and just being there for someone to talk about things that they may not feel comfortable telling their family, but need to get off their chest.

Some people think that a hospice patient is only a hospice patient for a very short time. Fields said that is not always the case.

“One important thing to know is that they are not necessarily dying,” said Fields. “Sometimes, they get better and stay my companion for years.”

People like Fields volunteer for all sorts of reasons.

“I just decided that I wasn’t working as much and I needed to fill my time,” Fields said. “I really like that it is a non-profit organization, and it was just a good fit for me.”

Fields said her clients look forward to seeing her.

“It makes me feel good to make someone else feel good,” Fields said. “I enjoy helping people in the community in their time of need, and a lot of it is just listening.”

Fields said that, as a volunteer, she makes recordings of “her people” for their families.

“We put their voice on a CD,” Fields said. “Sometimes it’s a song or a story to be played at the person’s funeral.”

Fields said that it is a very nice way to form a long-term memory for the families.

“We can leave a little bit of legacy for babies in the family that will, maybe, not remember grandma or grandpa,” Fields said. “But, a lot of it is just listening.”

Fields says that when a client does pass away, she attends the funeral and supports the family.

Kristie Lukes, volunteer program coordinator for Hospice of Michigan, is located in Alpena and is hoping to recruit as many volunteers as she can.

Lietaert said that she is hoping to begin the veteran volunteer classes again, but anyone that has some time to spare and is interested in making a difference in the life of another community member should contact Lukes at klukes@hom.org.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today