For Immediate Release
ASHEVILLE – 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which they have withdrawn because of illness or disability.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
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.
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