Volunteers welcomed at Hospice of Central Ohio

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – For many, the word hospice can evoke a multitude of negative emotions, but for one volunteer, it’s those same emotions that gives her both a drive and a purpose.

On Tuesday, the Zanesville Rotary Club invited Hospice of Central Ohio Volunteer Services Manager Liz Adamshick to speak about the importance of volunteerism within the hospice program. While hospice may be a tough subject to discuss, it’s an important part of not only comforting those who are ill, but also reminding them that they are ultimately more than their illness may suggest.

“It’s important for families to know that they’re never alone throughout the process and it’s equally important for patients to be affirmed for who they are rather than just the illness they have,” said Adamshick. “We want them to be aware of the fact that they not only had a life but also a history and that is still relevant.”

Devoting time to a purpose greater than one’s self is what truly fuels the hospice program and it is the prevalence of people that wish to pay it forward that makes hospice so special.

“I get to sit across from people every day that want to do something for someone other than themselves and most importantly do it for free and that, to me, is like a breath of fresh air,” said Adamshick. “Around 90% of our volunteers have previously been touched by hospice in some form and because of that, there’s a lot of people who wish to pay it forward and want to be the person that someone was for one of their loved ones.”

For more information about Hospice of Central Ohio, you can contact them at (740) 788-1404.