Here’s the press release from Western North Carolina Health Advocates:
Western North Carolina Health Advocates holds volunteer training for its Patient Pals and Family Friends peer support program 6 p.m. Jan. 28, at the Park Office Building, 70 Woodfin Place, Suite 232.
Patient Pals and Family Friends provides trained volunteers to people who have illness or disability and are socially isolated. Our volunteers become friend and advocate, helping people learn to advocate for themselves. We help people write down questions they want to ask a physician or caseworker. Our volunteers may accompany a person to an appointment to assure the questions are asked and that they fully understand the answers.
Volunteers also help people get out of the house and may go to museums, movies, take walks or go for coffee, helping them get back into a world from which they have withdrawn because of illness or disability.
Volunteers also may provide brief respite for caregivers, although they are not allowed to give medications or perform any medical duties.
WNCHA asks volunteers to commit to at least one hour a week for six months or longer.
Training lasts about three hours and includes information on active listening, dealing with cultural differences and stress, HIPPA rules, averting emotional crises and more.
The training is free and light refreshments are provided.
For information or to register, e-mail tj.wncha@gmail.com or call 828-243-6712 or 828-424-8321.
About WNC Health Advocates: We are a nonprofit health care advocacy, education and support agency founded in memory of Mike Danforth, who died of colon cancer in 2008 because he did not have access to health care. Our mission is to offer comfort and support to people with illness and disability and their families and to advocate for access to quality health care for all.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.