Volunteers for Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches never know what they’ll encounter when they visit the homebound seniors who depend on the service for freshly prepared, nutritious meals five days of the week.
Usually they are greeted with a smile, but sometimes they find one of the clients upset or just seeking someone with whom to share their deepest thoughts. Volunteers might even be confronted with a client who mentions that he or she is tired of struggling.
To help volunteers better prepare for the unexpected, Meals on Wheels recently collaborated with TrustBridge Health, which provides hospice care through Hospice of Palm Beach County and Hospice by the Sea, as well as home health and palliative care. TrustBridge Health staff hosted a “Communication Skills with the Homebound” workshop for the volunteers.
“We’re extremely grateful for the valuable information our volunteers received and for the support from TrustBridge Health,” said Charlie Ring, executive director of Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches. “Our volunteers came away with very helpful techniques they can put into use during their visits.”
Led by Lori Carpenter, a TrustBridge Health field educator and a licensed clinical social worker, the workshop addressed a number of issues, including the importance of maintaining eye contact, the need to be aware of body language and the significance of listening to what the client is saying — or not saying.
“Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization,” said Debbie Emerick, director of volunteer services. “Thanks to our collaboration with TrustBridge Health, our volunteers are now better prepared to communicate effectively with our clients.”
Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches is in continuous need of volunteers to help prepare and deliver meals. To find out more, visit www.mowpb.org.
ABOVE: TrustBridge Health’s Lori Carpenter (seated at center) led the “Communications Skills with the Homebound” workshop attended by Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches volunteers.
