Hawaii Care Choices, provider of palliative, hospice and bereavement care to East Hawaii, is looking to add to its volunteer team and will conduct a training session in November for community members interested in giving a few hours a week to uplift others.
New volunteers can choose to provide services such as companionship, giving caregivers a break, transportation, errands, cooking, music, light household chores, bereavement support, administrative support, landscaping and assisting with community events. Licensed massage therapists and hairdressers are welcome. Veterans are encouraged to apply.
“Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference,” said Hawaii Care Choices volunteer manager Jeanette Mochida. “Giving a caregiver a break so they have time to go shopping or enjoy lunch with friends. Talking story with someone who can’t go out to visit friends. Or even taking someone out for a drive because they never leave the house. Sitting with a veteran and providing reflective conversation. These are some of (the) small but powerful ways our volunteers make a difference in the lives of our patients and families.”
Training will include a 10-hour online course to be completed prior to meeting from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 2 for the final day of instruction.
Anyone interested in volunteering should visit www.hawaiicarechoices/volunteer to complete an online application and then call Mochida at 969-1733 to arrange a quick mandatory pre-training interview no later than Oct. 26.