Portal, AZ - Rodeo, NM

1. Charles W Leighton Jr (CWLJ) Hospice based in Willcox, AZ serves our Portal area (along with Benson, Dragoon, Safford, Bowie, San Simon, & Willcox itself)

Our Portal portion of Charles W Leighton Jr. Hospice is currently staffed by Frances Grill NP (Medical lead), an RN, and a CNA who both live in the Portal-Rodeo area.

2. In order to meet more than minimal Hospice needs in Portal, we MUST have more official volunteers from Portal/Rodeo as soon as possible (NM residents can volunteer in AZ)

3. Hospice maintains its historical core value as a service organization by requiring that volunteer hours are 5% of total staff hours. **Our Portal staff volunteered so frequently last year that we covered a large portion of the volunteer requirement for Charles W Leighton Jr Hospice.That means we are helping a wonderful non-profit Hospice with a very large service area as well as helping our own local community!

4. We want to serve our NM community too BUT the current small team cannot meet Rodeo needs (that requires linking up with NM Hospice like the one in Silver City) unless & until more Portal-Rodeo residents join us as official Hospice volunteers.

5. For patient safety, Hospice requires that volunteers have cost free fingerprinting screening with background check, urine drug testing, then online training sessions.The series of training modules can be done from home in short sessions at your own pace and convenience.The modules are quite educational plus many are personally beneficial.A fringe benefit is that the training itself counts as a significant chunk of volunteer time!

6. Once preliminary requirements are completed, Hospice volunteers can make a big difference in our community with as little as 1-2 hrs/week or 4 hours/month

7. Hospice volunteers do not do personal care.Assistance type is solely the volunteer's choice.It can involve direct patient interactions (visiting, reading, writing notes, listening, watching TV together, providing quiet companionship).Or it can involve helping the family or caretaker, as they need social visits too, time to run errands or just get outside.Indirect tasks can range from helping in the house or yard, grocery shopping, removing trash, preparing/delivering simple meals, doing light housekeeping or even working in the Hospice office.

8. FYI: Hospice Care for patients is not limited to 6 months of service, anyone in the final phase of life may receive hospice care as long as necessary when MD/NP certifies that the individual continues to meet eligibility requirements

For more information about volunteering, contact Kristy Alexander: 520-384-5878 and read about our local Hospice: www.willcoxhospice.com