The dying person and/or family members may have a history of problems such as substance abuse, financial difficulties, mental illness or disability. If these problems surface, the care team can provide care and support. 4. THE VOLUNTEER’S ROLE WITH THE FAMILY Hospice palliative care volunteers often spend relationships at a time when family members’ energies, emotions and resolve are being sorely tested. Volunteers can be drawn into family situations as members grapple with changing roles, strong emotions and caregiver burden. To be able to provide support, it’s very important for volunteers to understand the limits of their role: more time with family members than anyone else on the care team. Because they have such close contact, they often develop close • Volunteers support, they don’t fix. Volunteers are not social workers or family counselors. It is NOT your role to provide family or marital counseling or to intervene in financial or legal matters. Your role is to demonstrate support and concern, while allowing the family members to cope in their own way. • Volunteers are not alone. Other members of the team will be better able than the volunteer to help families that are not working. There are also resources in the community to help families that are coping with emotional issues as well as more serious issues such as substance use or domestic violence. You can help the family by calling another member of the team or giving the family information on community services – depending on the situation. 1. HELPING FAMILIES PROVIDE CARE AND TAKE ON NEW ROLES Volunteers can help families in their caregiving by: • Sharing their knowledge about comfort measures and about “tricks of the trade” the care team may have that will make the dying person more comfortable. • Being alert to the changing care needs of the dying person and reporting these to the hospice supervisor. Working with families that look and act very differently from our own can be stressful for volunteers. Whenever you encounter problems or challenges with the family, talk to your supervisor.
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