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Southern Highlands Community Hospice has recently finished training a cohort of volunteers for visiting palliative residents at their local aged care facility.

Sandra Hiscock, Residential Aged Care Facility Palliative Care Volunteer Manager, tells us that her organisation has not before offered volunteering of this type.

“We are excited to have a new group of palliative care volunteers trained up and nearly ready to begin visiting. For the last couple of years we have only had volunteers running our popular biography service. I’m pleased we can expand the scope of our volunteer service and support more people in our community.”

This new volunteer cohort has benefitted from training specifically tailored to working in aged care. Bronwyn Heron and Jane Mahoney from Palliative Aged Care Consultancy Services (PACCS) have led the training sessions which took place over a series of weeks.

Volunteers have already completed the first stage of their orientation at Harbison which has residential aged care facilities in Moss Vale and Burradoo.

“The next step is a half day mentoring opportunity with Bronwyn Heron from PACCS to meet the Harbison residents they are working with. The final onboarding processes will then be finalised and we will begin our Palliative Care volunteering role,” says Sandra.

After campaigning and fundraising for many years with the aim of funding a physical hospice, Southern Highlands Community Hospice has recently changed their mission. They now fund a range of services that will enable compassionate support for people requiring palliative care in-home such as their Pharmaceutical Support Service which helps with the ongoing cost of medications.

To finance these endeavours, volunteers run Timeless Fashion and Furniture op shop in Bowral which hosts many fundraising events like ‘Pre-loved & Precious‘ on Thursday 28 July. Buy tickets here.

Main photo: Harbison Care CEO David Cochran, PACCS presenter Bronwyn Heron, and Southern Highlands Community Hospice Directors and Volunteers