No One Alone: Palliative Care Volunteer Program
No One Alone Palliative Care Volunteers offer a variety of services to supplement and extend the support and care of the Palliative Care Service. People being treated for serious illnesses or injuries within DHMC and their families may face long hours in the hospital which can be lonely and feel isolating. Boredom is another source of stress for some people during long days in the hospital.
No One Alone (NOA) Volunteers assist the Palliative Care and other clinical teams at Norris Cotton Cancer Center in striving to enhance quality of life for patients and their families.
No One Alone offers Volunteer visiting during the day and evening hours, including weekends, whenever possible. The following are some of the extensive ways volunteers can help:
- Visiting with patients, making phone calls or writing notes for them can help maintain a patient’s connection to community.
- Reading to people who find it difficult to read themselves.
- Offering music CD’s and players
- Simply sitting by the bedside to offer reassurance to people who may be anxious, confused or agitated.
The No One Alone program is a branch of the DHMC Volunteer Auxiliary. NOA Volunteers have received a special 18-hour training. They are able to provide an extended presence of the teams of caring professionals within DHMC. These NOA volunteers generously contribute their time, effort and a variety of skills and talents in a highly creative and individual fashion. They bring freshness and vitality to the Palliative Care Service interdisciplinary team.
The NOA Volunteers keep the Palliative Care interdisciplinary team and the Medical Center in general, in touch with the greater community, enriching both. To join them, please call (603) 650-5402 or email Wendy Sichel, MEd, for an appointment.
