LEWISTON – Beacon Hospice and Palliative Care graduated two new volunteers, Judith Ames of Buckfield and Linda Emond of Lewiston, during a candlelight ceremony at Beacon’s 55 Lisbon St. office.

Ames and Emond were the first volunteers to graduate an accelerated, 21-hour training program that began on Dec. 10.

Ames and Emond have personal and volunteer experience in a variety of health care settings and were ready to begin their volunteer work as soon as possible. With that in mind, Beacon offered the women accelerated training to accommodate their special request and circumstances.

“While Judy and Linda still needed to fulfill the 21-hour training commitment, we were pleased to customize the schedule by meeting two or three times a week and meeting on New Year’s Eve day,” said Donna Rousseau, volunteer coordinator. “Their flexibility allowed for creativity in scheduling and, consequently, permitted me to assign both women volunteer responsibilities sooner.”

Beacon Hospice offers a comprehensive volunteer training program that incorporates guest speakers, role-playing, group activities, reading and videos to educate and prepare volunteers for the hospice experience.

Hospice team members from each discipline guide volunteers through the training, exploring a wide range of topics including hospice philosophy, pain recognition, spirituality, bereavement, communication, family dynamics and volunteer responsibilities and wellness.

“Our volunteers play a significant role in providing quality, end-of-life care to our patients and their families.” said Rousseau. “By the time they graduate, they have been provided with a wealth of knowledge to assist them in their volunteer work. Following graduation, they continue to receive support as members of the Beacon team through in-services, special programs, and of course, ongoing interaction with Beacon staff.”

Beacon Hospice offers ongoing training programs at their office and staff is available for speaking engagements as well as off-site training for interested groups or businesses.

Trainings are scheduled to begin at Clover Health Care, Lewiston High School and Edward Little High School adult education programs at the end of January.

For additional information on training or for more information about the hospice, contact Rousseau at 784-4242.