Print Article 4/27/15
Do you know someone facing a life-limiting illness? Do you know a child who is struggling with grief after a loved one passed away? Have you ever wondered how you could help them?
Home Nursing Agency invites you to learn more about the services for those in our community who are at the end-of-life or grieving the loss of a loved one at an Open House.
Open Houses will be held:
Thursday, May 21 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Blair Healing Patch, 5416 Sixth Ave., Altoona
Thursday, May 28 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Cambria Healing Patch, 118 Ebony Rd., Ebensburg
Attendees can learn about hospice care and the Healing Patch program to refer others who may need services, and they can also learn about opportunities to get involved as volunteers with the role that best fits their skills, schedule and comfort level.
Hospice provides care for people with life-limiting illnesses and supports caregivers even after their loved one has passed away. Volunteers assist in many ways by visiting patients to offer companionship for patients, providing relief and support for family members, assisting with clerical duties in the office or reaching out to grieving family members through phone calls or notes from the comfort of their own homes.
The Healing Patch: A Program for Loss and Hope for Grieving Children and Their Families is a free peer support program that brings hope and healing back into the lives of grieving families.
"Having experienced loss at a young age, I can personally recognize the need for the Healing Patch,” explains Healing Patch volunteer Tim Knob. “Devoting time as a volunteer has given me the opportunity to facilitate discussions among children who have experienced the loss of a loved one to death. Once these children are given the opportunity to openly discuss their loss in a safe environment, they quickly recognize the similarities they have with the other children in the room and develop instant connections. After witnessing that there are other children their age who share their anger, sadness, fear and worries, they realize they are not alone…and the healing process truly begins."
Healing Patch volunteers serve in various roles, such as facilitating groups, planning activities for children to share with one another, greeting family members as they arrive, serving food for families to enjoy, completing sewing projects for children to remember their loved ones and assisting with special family programs.
If you would like more information about hospice and the Healing Patch, please call 1-800-445-6262.
If you have questions about the Open House or volunteer opportunities, please contact:
Melody Ray, Volunteer Coordinator for the Healing Patch and Cambria County Hospice: 1-800-445-6262, ext. 7216 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Catherine Zimmerman, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, at 1-800-445-6262, ext. 2657 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
