We met with Nichole Osborn, Director of Learning and Development, to go over her volunteering journey.
AC: What organization or local cause did you volunteer for?
NICHOLE: I volunteered at the Colorado Palliative & Hospice Care.
AC: Can you please provide an overview of their mission?
NICHOLE: Per their website, their mission is “to provide the highest level of comfort and care, honoring and respecting the dignity of each individual, and enhancing the quality of living at the end of life, under the guidance of Christian principles.”
AC: Was this your first-time volunteering for this organization or cause? Please elaborate.
NICHOLE: I have volunteered several times at this organization in various capacities over the past year.
AC: Where there any requirements for this type of volunteerism?
NICHOLE: I went through a training session and needed to be current on vaccinations.
AC: Why did you choose to volunteer here for your Day of Giving?
NICHOLE: The work that this organization does is important to the patients and their families. When I was in High School I volunteered at a nursing home with a group of residents that had Alzheimer’s. I feel like I can make an impact on someone’s life at a time that is very important. It does not cost me anything but my time. When I read about this organization, I knew immediately that I wanted to volunteer with them.
AC: Can you tell us about your volunteer experience? What did you do? Did your time volunteering meet your expectations?
NICHOLE: The first time I volunteered, I worked in the office and did care surveys. I called families to see if they were getting the support they needed physically and spiritually from the organization. Hospice is funded by Medicare and 10% of the services are required to be volunteers. The surveys need to occur at a certain point in the patient’s care and filled with Medicare. On Veteran’s Day, I delivered a basket to a resident to thank him for his service. Recently I made gift bags that were delivered to patients in hospice filled with holiday goodies. When I can, I love visiting directly with the patients.
AC: What would you like to share to encourage others to volunteer their time and energy locally?
NICHOLE: I know that this organization is probably not for everyone, but I would encourage everyone that can to find opportunities to volunteer in your community. I went on a website and looked for organizations and for me, this touched my heart and was where I wanted to give my time. I get more out of this than I feel like any of the patients or families do. I hope that others can have that experience.