A non-profit provider of hospice services in ten counties around Southwest Michigan is looking for some volunteers.
Centrica Care Navigators cares for those nearing the end of their lives in Berrien, Van Buren, Allegan, St. Joseph, and Kalamazoo counties, among others. The organization’s Jodie Vanlerbergh tells us one service they offer is companionship for patients, something that’s important to many of them.
“We look for volunteers that can offer companionship, caregiver relief,” Vanlerbergh said. “Our patients look for sometimes just to get a haircut. We’re looking for veterans that can provide that companionship in the form of a veteran to veteran kind of service.”
Vanlerbergh the group’s volunteers read to patients, play card games, work on art projects, and often just listen. With more than 600 patients throughout Southwest Michigan, they need a lot of help.
“We used to have about 320 volunteer, pre-COVID. Once COVID hit, a lot of our volunteers dropped off due to personal reasons because of the pandemic.”
Now the non-profit is down to about 100 volunteers. Vanlerbergh is hoping some new help will come forward. She says Centrica will send in a new volunteer with a partner for their first engagement to help ease anxiety. They’re also looking for volunteers who have dogs or cats that are licensed to act as service animals.
Volunteers do have to pass background checks and go through a screening process and must be 18 or older. You can learn more about signing up to help right here.
