Lopez Island Home and Hospice Support will be offering volunteer training this Sept. 9, 16, and 23.

This is a three-day training, approximately five hours each Saturday with food provided. To pre-register or for more information, please contact Sarah Rabel at csm@lihhs.org or the office at 360-468-4446.

As a participant in the training several years ago and now as a board member, it is wonderful to meet fellow Lopezians and realize what defines community. After the training, as a volunteer, the gentle way that I am paired with clients helps me feel that my needs are as important as the clients.

The leaders of the training program have decades of experience in fields surrounding elder care. One tool the volunteer training highlighted was listening. Whether it is weekly visits dropping off groceries or less frequent, task-specific help in the garden, I have benefitted by being quiet and listening.

Once the training is complete, the network of professionals is there to support the volunteers as well as the clients, when questions arise. Due to the sensitive nature of injury and death, confidentiality is emphasized in our volunteer training. Training topics also include communication skills, providing compassionate care, supporting clients with dementia, and family systems and dynamics, to name a few.

The training I received from LIHHS helped prepare me for my father’s death this past winter. I was able to stay present and help my family during challenging situations. Much of the volunteer training included fellow participants and leaders sharing their stories. These were invaluable. LIHHS welcomes volunteers of all ages who are full or part-time Lopez residents.