Description
Hospice Casa Sperantei proposes a project meant to integrate the volunteers' contribution to palliative care services, by adapting international models of best practices in the field. Volunteers are currently involved mainly in the administrative activities of palliative care providers. The project envisages a deeper involvement of volunteers in the care of incurable patients in need of palliative care, by creating a core of trained volunteers’coordinators and empowering them to further attract, train and motivate new volunteers. Beneficiaries/target groups: 45 volunteers coordinators in palliative care services throughout the country (approx. 30 services), patients with incurable diseases and their families in the communities targeted by the project, informal local leaders (including teachers, priests, Roma community leaders, etc.), 250 new volunteers, recruited during the project implementation. Results expected: improved capacity of palliative care providers to attract and involve volunteers; trained and experienced volunteer coordinators and local leaders able to promote and consolidate the contribution of volunteers.
Summary of project results
In the context of the need for palliative care (PC) development on the three levels included in the National Strategy for PC (1-support for self-care, 2-basic palliative care and 3-specialised palliative care), the role of volunteers, as members of the interdisciplinary team, is important, due to the experience of patient caring and general family support. According to The National Quality Standards for PC (2011), volunteers are members of the enlarged team, along with the caregiver, psychologist, clergy, and therapist. If, for the members of the core team and for some other members of the enlarged team, the competences and training requirements are defined, they are not defined for volunteers. Therefore, the integration of volunteers in the PC services is made sporadically, especially in the clinic activities. This project was responding to the need of developing a national programme of volunteering in PC through transfer of international best practices, developing an unitary curriculum, training 40 volunteer coordinators from PC services in Romania, encouraging volunteering initiative at any age, identifying and mobilising community opinion leaders and informing citizens about the concept of volunteering and benefits of being involved in palliative care services. Information about PC and opportunities to volunteer in this area reached more than 1,000 people in the country. Interest to volunteer was above expectations, greatly exceeded the initial indicator. 15 different brochures were printed for organisations that chose to include volunteers in palliative care team, as well as to support the volunteers who decide to get involved in the care (clinic activities). A handbook for volunteer coordinators was developed, as well as a video spot promoting volunteering in PC. Through the multiplier effect resulting from intensive training of volunteers coordinators in PC and the concrete involvement of newly recruited volunteers to assist beneficiaries of medical and social palliative services, the quality of life of incurable patients increased, because, as many studies showed, assisted people perceive the support of volunteers in a very positive light, sometimes even more favourable than that support offered by professionals.
Summary of bilateral results