Hospice Volunteers Lend a Hand in Unique Ways

Hospice Volunteers Lend a Hand in Unique Ways During COVID-19 Crisis

Students deliver plants to homes of families faced with the unimaginable loss of their child

On a normal day, many of Capital Caring Health’s 1,000-plus corps of volunteers provide comfort and companionship to patients by reading or singing to them, lending an ear, and providing in-person support to families who have lost a loved one. But the past five weeks have been anything but normal, as we are dealing with a “new normal” throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

As we adhere to social distancing guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Capital Caring Health Volunteers are currently unable to meet and visit patients in person. Now volunteers are answering the call to serve in new ways.

Students home from college are delivering locally grown flowering plants to the porches and stoops of families who recently faced the unimaginable loss of their child. These plants were grown by adults from the Rappahannock Adult Activities organization in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The students recently filled their cars with flower baskets that were delivered with special letters to families whose children passed away recently.

And volunteers are also assembling and delivering care packages to current pediatric patients that include books, games, repositioning pillows, light and sound machines, diapers, and COVID-19 information for children and with helpful links and resources to provide families with comfort and support.

“Families with seriously ill children are already facing a really difficult time,” said Tara Hoit, Director of the Capital Caring Health Children’s Program. “We are hoping to bring comfort and maybe even a little joy during this challenging situation, and our incredible volunteers are making it possible to send this virtual ‘hug’ to these families who have suffered the loss of a child.”

Learn more about supporting Capital Caring Health’s Emergency Relief Fund, which provides critical resources to cover the additional expenses that arise during these difficult times, at www.capitalcaring.org/emergency-relief-fund.

Photos of Capital Caring Health Volunteers in Action: Volunteers recently delivered 30-plus packages to pediatric hospice patients and their families to provide comfort and support and flower baskets to families who recently faced the unimaginable loss of their child.

About Capital Caring Health

Capital Caring Health is one of the leading nonprofit providers of elder health, hospice, and advanced illness care for persons of all ages in the mid-Atlantic region. A member of a national network of 70 nonprofit hospice providers, our mission is to provide patients and their families
with advanced illness care that is second to none. We also have special hospice teams serving children and veterans. On an annual basis, we serve over 7,000 hospice patients and provide more than $3 million in charity care to those who are uninsured and have nowhere else to turn. Almost 90 cents out of every dollar goes to caring for patients and their families. Our website, www.capitalcaring.org, is available in English, Spanish, and Korean plus offers 24/7 Live Chat. Since the beginning of hospice care over 40 years ago, we have served 120,000 patients and their families in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 24-Hour Care Line: (800) 869-2136 www.capitalcaring.org

Reach out to one of our care experts today.