At Heart to Heart Hospice, our volunteers are a special part of the care team, making a difference in people’s lives by providing a variety of supportive services. There are opportunities to interact directly with patients and families or to serve our local hospice programs by assisting staff members in an office setting. Both contribute something significant to our mission of providing compassionate care!
We can talk about how wonderful our volunteers are all day, but we felt it would be even better to hear from a volunteer directly. We were fortunate to sit down with a recent Heart to Heart volunteer, Aaron Shenk. He told us how impactful volunteering at Heart to Heart was for him, and how it inspired him to view life in a new light.
“My time as a volunteer surpassed what I could’ve ever expected.”
“I’ve always been interested in volunteering,” Aaron told us, “but hadn’t realized how impactful it is to volunteer with organizations and in roles you are passionate about.”
One of Aaron’s greatest personal missions, he said, is to work toward reaching his fullest potential and to help others do the same. He discovered Heart to Heart’s volunteer program and viewed it as a great opportunity to try something new while developing new relationships, contributing to his community, and putting his life mission into practice.
“My time as a volunteer with Heart to Heart Hospice, “ he said, “surpassed what I could’ve ever expected.”
“During each visit, I feel that it is so valuable to simply connect with whoever I am with,” Aaron said. “With no other distractions around, all there is to do is to make each person feel comfortable and like they are reaching their fullest potential.”
When asked what lessons he learned from being focused on a patient’s comfort and well-being each day, Aaron told us it was the importance of slowing down and connecting intentionally with each patient. “Choosing to slow down my pace and share such pure moments with each patient allowed me to gain a new perspective on what really matters.”
It’s time with family and friends that’s most memorable
Following his time as a volunteer, Aaron was able to gain a new perspective on what his priorities are, he told us. Listening to the stories of each patient and their most significant memories—times with family, proudest accomplishments, and life lessons—made him realize, “this is what matters.”
Being a busy college student can mean focusing on productivity and efficiency in life. For Aaron, however, volunteering with Heart to Heart taught him to be intentional when spending time with family and friends because it’s that time that is most memorable and special.
“I’ve learned that intentional times with family and friends are the most memorable and special assets to carry forever,” Aaron told us. “Now that I’ve been able to see the importance of this in such a unique way, I’m shifting my priorities to create more of these memories with family and friends that I will take with me for the rest of my life.”
“I leave feeling so inspired.”
As Aaron has said, volunteering personal time to spend with hospice patients can help us gain and appreciate new perspectives on many aspects of our lives. One of the people Aaron spent time with gave him the advice, “You get out what you put in.” This clicked with Aaron, who began applying this advice to his relationships, academic performance, and even job satisfaction.
“When I focus more on the intention of what I do, and not just the output of what I do,” he said, “I find this creates sustainable growth in any aspect of my life.” He began prioritizing the process of things rather than the output, which has provided “new inspiration” in his life.
“Every time, I leave feeling so inspired,” he said, “and like I’ve been able to gain a completely new perspective on the priorities in my life. Instead of this experience feeling like I am just giving my time to something, it feels like I am able to contribute to such a people-centered mission, and gain incredible experience learning about and connecting with each patient.”
Advice for future Heart to Heart volunteers
Aaron has had a wonderful experience volunteering with Heart to Heart. He said that Heart to Heart is “committed to its people, and they will make sure that whatever you are doing feels like a good fit.” He told us that from the first day to the last, “the Heart to Heart team prioritized that my experience was tailored to my goals.”
When asked what advice he had for future volunteers with Heart to Heart, or any hospice care organization, Aaron said he hopes everyone considering volunteering to be a hospice companion—especially with Heart to Heart—just goes for it:
“If you feel hospice companionship might be a good fit for you, go for it! The support and community within this volunteer opportunity were more rewarding than I could’ve ever asked for. instead of just giving my time, I’ve walked away from this experience with new perspectives, priorities, and a heart full of gratitude.”
We can’t thank Aaron enough for this perspective and kind words regarding this volunteer experience. If you are interested in volunteering with Heart to Heart, you can get started by filling out the volunteer form on our website. We provide training and our volunteer coordinator helps each volunteer find the most appropriate area of service. We hope to see you soon!
