Volunteers bring skills, compassion to St. Francis Hospice patients

INDIANAPOLIS – Do you have a special place in your heart for the dying? Perhaps talents or skills you’d like to share with these patients and their families?

St. Francis Hospice is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions and roles, including office assistants, people trained in bereavement to assist with phone calls and support groups and to make visits to patients’ homes and extended-care facilities. Musicians, massage therapists, hair stylists and volunteers with other skills also are needed.

"All St. Francis Hospice volunteers complete an orientation program provided by our staff and have the opportunity to meet other volunteers and to shadow a member of our team to patients’ homes," said volunteer coordinator Glenda Dennison. "Our goal is to create a meaningful experience for volunteers and the patients and families they will work with."

Volunteers must be 18 or older and willing to commit to four hours a week for six months. They must complete a hospital volunteer application process and attend orientation.

To learn more about the hospice volunteer program, contact Glenda Dennison at 317-859-2874, or Glenda.dennison@ssfhs.org.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280.

Hospice program seeks willing servers during National Volunteer Week

INDIANAPOLIS – It has been said the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in serving others – and many are finding themselves by serving the dying and their families through the St. Francis Hospice program.

With National Volunteer Week (April 27-May 3) approaching, the program seeks people for various roles and positions, including office assistants, people trained in bereavement to assist with phone calls and support groups and to make visits to patients’ homes and extended care facilities. Musicians, hair stylists and volunteers with other skills also are needed.

“National Volunteer Week gives people the opportunity to be shining examples,” said Glenda Dennison, volunteer coordinator. “Hospice volunteers encourage those they serve and inspire others to serve.

All St. Francis Hospice volunteers complete an orientation program provided by staff and have the opportunity to meet other volunteers and to shadow a member of our team to patients’ homes.

Volunteers must be 18 or older and willing to commit to four hours a week for six months. They must complete a hospital volunteer application process and attend orientation.

To learn more about the hospice volunteer program, contact Glenda Dennison at 317-859-2874, or Glenda.dennison@ssfhs.org.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280.

Internal medicine physician named St. Francis Hospice chief

INDIANAPOLIS – Nicolas M. Priscu, M.D., has been appointed medical director of end-of-life medicine at St. Francis Hospice.

In that role, Priscu consults with the terminally ill patients’ primary-care physicians, visits with patients in hospitals and in their homes and works closely with hospice medical staff to help patients with pain management.

He also practices with Beech Grove Internal Medicine of the St. Francis Medical Group.
Priscu earned his medical degree from the Institute of Medicine & Pharmacy of Cluj-Napoca in Romania in 1984 and completed his residency training at McKeesport Hospital in Pennsylvania.

St. Francis Hospice is an interdisciplinary team of professionals and volunteers who provide services in patients’ homes, hospitals and residential or nursing facilities. They serve patients and their families in Marion, Johnson, Morgan, Shelby, Hendricks and Hancock counties.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280

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Photo of Dr. Priscu is available upon request.

Volunteers bring more than just skills to St. Francis Hospice

Media contact:
Joe Stuteville
Media Relations Manager
317-782-7986
317-946-9930 (cell)
317-909-0079 (pager)
Joe.Stuteville@ssfhs.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Do you have a special place in your heart for the dying? Perhaps talents or skills you’d like to share with these patients and their families?

St. Francis Hospice is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions and roles, including office assistants, people trained in bereavement to assist with phone calls and support groups and to make visits to patients’ homes and extended-care facilities. Musicians, hair stylists and volunteers with other skills also are needed.

"All St. Francis Hospice volunteers complete an orientation program provided by our staff and have the opportunity to meet other volunteers and to shadow a member of our team to patients’ homes," said volunteer coordinator Glenda Dennison. "Our goal is to create a meaningful experience for volunteers and the patients and families they will work with."

Volunteers must be 18 or older and willing to commit to four hours a week for six months. They must complete a hospital volunteer application process and attend orientation.

To learn more about the hospice volunteer program, contact Glenda Dennison at 317-859-2874, or Glenda.dennison@ssfhs.org.

More information about St. Francis Hospice is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=280.