LEWISTON — Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice will hold a hospice training classes starting Oct. 25 at its office at 15 Strawberry Avenue.

Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for those in the Lewiston/Auburn, Topsham, Brunswick and Augusta areas. Once trained, they will be matched with patients in their area.

Hospice volunteers receive 20 hours of specialized training to prepare them in supporting terminally ill patients in the home setting, in nursing facilities, and at the Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice’s Hospice House. Volunteers receive training in hospice philosophy; listening; finding meaning at the end of life; grief, loss and bereavement; disease process; family dynamics; and roles of volunteers.

Individuals from Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice are part of a group of trainers who come in and talk about their specialty area.

The hospice program is also expanding its complementary therapy program and is looking for volunteers who provide Reiki, pet therapy and massage. All complementary volunteers will need to go through the Hospice training.

Sheila Bacon of Greene began volunteering almost eight years ago.

“I did not realize how much hospice volunteering would teach me about people, life, and death. Many people tend to fear death and thanks to the patients I have met, that fear has greatly decreased for me.”

For more information on the complementary therapies or to register for the upcoming hospice volunteer training, contact the volunteer department at 777-7740 or 1-800-482-7412, ext. 1280, or visit the website at www.ahch.org.

Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice is Maine’s largest nonprofit, Medicare-certified agency. The Agency annually provides skilled home care, supportive care, and hospice care for nearly 8,000 residents throughout Maine.