Hospice helpers trained to care at a difficult time

The three women who showed up this month for hospice volunteer training at St. Barnabas Health System at The Woodlands in Valencia had all been affected by a loved one’s death.

Susan Acon, 55, lives in Middlesex and told the group that her father had died four years ago in hospice. “He was only there for four days, but it was a moving experience, and I wanted to get involved,” she explained, adding that she has a background in mental health and has always done a lot of volunteer work. “This will be a new journey.”

Dorothy Thoma, 77, of Butler, moved to The Woodlands with her husband Frank three years ago, and her sister died after spending a few days in hospice.

“I was impressed with the facility and the care,” said Mrs. Thoma, adding that she was unsure if she could handle visiting hospice patients on a regular basis. “I’m a sensitive person, and I think it might be too much for me.”

Cranberry resident Katherine Maloney is only 28, but her mother died in a car accident in May. “My mom was a hospice volunteer,” said Ms. Maloney, adding that she often tagged along with her mother to visit the patients. “I would like to get involved in hospice because my experience was breathtaking. Just the people who came to pay their respects after my mom died was so inspirational.”

Hospice volunteer coordinator