January 16, 2012—Rockville, MD—Do you want to help people during their most challenging days? Do you want to make a real difference in the life of a patient or family by volunteering your time and compassion? JSSA (Jewish Social Service Agency), a non-sectarian community agency, is seeking volunteers over the age of 18 to help enhance the quality of life of individuals and families facing life-threatening or terminal illness.  Russian speakers and massage therapists are especially needed.
 
JSSA offers specialized training for prospective volunteers for its Hospice and Transitions programs. JSSA’s Hospice provides professional care and volunteer support to terminally ill individuals and their families in our community; it also provides bereavement support for 13 months following a loved one’s death. JSSA’s Transitions program provides volunteer services to patients and their families living with life-limiting illness and the effects of treatment. Volunteers visit patients in their homes and in residential facilities, provide companionship and emotional support, practical assistance with errands and transportation, and offer respite for caregivers. We have found it beneficial for individuals to wait one year following the death of a loved one before becoming a volunteer with JSSA Hospice and Transitions.
 
The next 20-hour training course is scheduled for Sunday-Tuesday, March 4-6, 2012 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at JSSA’s Montrose Road office, 6123 Montrose Road, Boardroom, Rockville. Applications and interviews will be required for those interested in the volunteer training. No walk-ins accepted. For more information and to sign up for the course, please contact Amy Kaufman Goott, volunteer coordinator for JSSA Hospice and Transitions at 301-816-2650, agoott@jssa.org, no later than 5 days prior to the start of the course.
 
Visit JSSA on the web at http://www.jssa.org.