Did you know there are more than 400,000 hospice volunteers in the United States? At Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association we call them Hospice Angels.

Livingston Hospice Angels are important members of an interdisciplinary team working to "de-institutionalize" the dying experience and provide a more humane system of care for the dying and their families.

You may have been waiting for the right time to answer your personal calling. Maybe you had a family member on hospice care and want to "give back," or maybe you did not have support during such a difficult time and want to make sure things are different for others. We encourage you to sign up for the January 2008 Hospice Volunteer training class.

Hospice training begins Wednesday, January 23 and continues for eight consecutive Wednesdays, 9:30 AM -12:30 PM. The focus is on learning new communication skills, exploring issues of grief and loss, sharing views of spirituality and understanding concepts of symptom management and end of life care. Participants become acquainted with the hospice team, medical director, hospice nurses, medical social workers, hospice chaplains, home health aides and other hospice volunteers.

For more information contact Maddy Hazard 642-0239x775 or mhazard@lmvna.org.