It's true. You might get hurt. But trust me, the rewards outweigh the risks.

When I first decided to volunteer for Hospice, I wasn't sure that I had anything to offer anyone. I'm a business person, an office manager in a dental firm--what could I offer to a dying person?

Hospice took care of my doubts. They sent me to a 24 hour training session where I listened to trained professionals, acted out possible scenarios that might crop up during a Hospice encounter, did workbook type training, etc. During the course of the 2 day session, I began to understand a great deal more about the situation I had been in than I ever realized possible. As they explained to me the different aspects involved in dealing with a dying person, I was able to identify with them from having been through it and to realize that so much of what happened to us was normal. Everyone feels guilt after a loved one dies, but from my Hospice training, I was able to let go of a great deal of that because understanding is often a form of healing.

Hospice helped me to understand that what I could offer to a dying person was myself--the love I feel inside for others, and the compassion and understanding I gained through watching my parents die. The one thing that people always need to know is that others have been through similar experiences.