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December 16th, 2009 | Posted in Community | Share this on Facebook or Twitter

Spotlight on: Our pet therapy and cosmetology volunteers

“Trillium Woods is heaven on earth,” Donna DeVries. who has been a hospice volunteer since 2000, said about the Faith Hospice residence in Byron Center. “I can’t believe how wonderful the atmosphere is. And the staff are angels. It just amazes me.”

Donna and her six pound Yorkshire Terrier, Barclay, visit Trillium Woods once a week. Donna started as a once a month volunteer but enjoyed it so much she now goes weekly. “It’s quiet and peaceful but not sad or dreary there,” she said. “There’s an underlying joy.”

As a pet therapy dog, Barclay brings his own brand of joy to the staff, patients and families at Trillium. Upon arrival at Trillium, Barclay heads straight for the volunteer office where, according to Donna, he knows he will get a treat from their stash. Then he spends time with the patients. “Anyone who needs a little extra loving,” said Donna.

Barclay forms a bond with the patients who have spent a certain amount of time at Trillium. Donna recalled one woman who always invited Barclay onto her bed where the two of them would share a snack of cheese curls. Donna found it hard to get Barclay’s attention when it was time to leave!

Another woman who was at Trillium Woods for several months really enjoyed Barclay’s visits. Her husband did, too, and they both loved petting the little dog. Donna took Barclay to visit one day and found the woman on the verge of a coma. Her hands were folded on her chest on top of the covers. Barclay took his accustomed position on the bed, and, when he realized the woman was too weak to move, crawled underneath her hands where he rested happily for the duration of their visit.

Donna began Barclay’s training as a puppy by giving him plenty of opportunities for socializing including trips to Walmart where he rode in the cart, and she encouraged patrons to pet him and hold him. Neighborhood children were invited to visit with him, and Donna took him on plenty of walks where he learned to cope around bicycles and children on skates—perfect training for a dog who would spend time “working” around wheelchairs and walkers.

When he was old enough, Donna enrolled Barclay in the West Michigan Therapy Dog’s eight week training course. Barclay got practice negotiating his way around tubes, wires, walkers and other medical paraphernalia without becoming frightened by the strange equipment. He also became acclimated to the smells and sounds of a hospital and practiced visiting on one of the floors. Barclay passed his test with flying colors and went on to get further training ultimately receiving national Delta Society certification.

Not everyone passes the training course, according to Donna. There have been instances where the dogs have done fine, but the owners realized that they themselves were not cut out for this very special type of volunteer work.

Donna, however, said, “I’m the one who’s blessed. I get the blessings out of this.”

For more information on volunteering for Faith Hospice, call 356-4859.

***

“It does something for me. Sometimes I think it makes me feel better than they do,” Carol VanStee said about the six years she’s been volunteering her services as a hairdresser to Faith Hospice.

Carol goes to Trillium Woods, the Faith Hospice residence in Byron Center, once a month to wash, cut and style patients’ hair. “It’s something I can do for the patients,” said Carol, “and they are so appreciative. It makes them feel better.”

The hard part, according to Carol, is getting to know a patient only to lose them several weeks later. Carol credits the training she received from Faith Hospice for enabling her to deal with the emotions this sort of volunteering evokes. “The training helped me feel comfortable in all the different situations I’ve faced as a hospice volunteer.”

Carol said she loves “the hominess of Trillium Woods,” and gives the nurses and aides “so much credit for the wonderful job they do. They don’t just take care of the patients, they make them feel they’re part of a family.”

According to Carol, the nurses and aides don’t hesitate to reach out and touch a hand or stroke an arm. “Touching, to me, says a lot.”

According to Carol, “volunteering takes such a little bit of your time, and you get so much out of it.”

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering for Faith Hospice, please contact our volunteer office at 616-356-4859. Faith Hospice is especially in need of licensed cosmetologists like Carol to provide hair care as well as licensed massage therapists to provide massages for patients and their caregivers both at Trillium Woods and in the community.

December 14th, 2009 | Posted in Community, General, Trillium Woods | Share this on Facebook or Twitter