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OUR SERVICES
Brave Heart Volunteers provides quality education, support services, and volunteer visiting for families and individuals facing health challenges such as
terminal or chronic illness, dementia, disabilities, hospitalization, or end-of-life.
©Erin Matthes
Volunteer Visiting and Companionship
Volunteers at Brave Heart are compassionate, caring, and available up to 2 hours a week to connect with your loved one and provide you with much-needed respite. Volunteers are not trained to provide medical assistance of any kind, but can spend time conversing, walking, playing cards, or reading with your loved one and can also assist with minor household tasks, light yard work, cooking or cleaning. Volunteer visitors can provide an opportunity for other family caregivers to get some respite, "a needed break."
If you are interested in 1 to 2 hours of respite for you or another primary caregiver.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please visit our volunteer page.
End Of Life Volunteers
Specially trained End-of-Life Volunteers are available to provide companioning support to your family or loved one, or to anyone facing an End of Life situation. The original vision of Brave Heart Volunteers founders and nurses Jean and Auriella was that in Sitka, no one who wants company and care will die alone.
Contact us to learn more about our End of Life Volunteer services.
Partner in Grief
A "Partner in Grief" is someone who can offer you support over a cup of coffee or tea. It is often someone who has lost a loved one in the past and are now in a position to provide another with their guidance and support.
Bereavement Follow-Up
As you navigate the loss, we send notes out to family members to remember the date your loved one died, plus some helpful self-care tips with "Care Notes".
Grief Support Group
This group is offered annually and follows a nine-week curriculum. It is for those who have suffered the loss of someone close who would like to feel the support of others in a similar situation in a comfortable and confidential setting. It is co-facilitated by Kelsey Carney and Maury Hackett.
Orientation, Education & Training
Facing life's challenges isn't easy. We believe that you should have access to
the tools and resources you need to make the process a bit more manageable.
By providing educational programs, resources on our website and
through our in-house lending library, we hope we can connect you to resources that work.
Volunteer Orientation
A new volunteer starts their relationship with Brave Heart Volunteers with an application and background check. After this is completed, the new volunteer will meet with Brave Heart staff, so we can get to know each other and any questions you might have will be answered.
Lending Library
Come by our office at the Pioneers' Home Manager's House to explore our extensive Lending Library. The collection includes resources such as DVDs and books about Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia, Grief and Bereavement, Care-giving, Hospice, Palliative Care, End of Life, Poetry, Inspirational books and more!
Compassionate Care at End-of-Life Training
Our six-session comprehensive
end of life training is designed to help our volunteers feel more comfortable and prepared to be present and to assist a care-receiver who is terminally ill. The training is free of charge, and is also open to interested community members and health professionals on a space available basis. Participants explore hospice philosophy and other important topics pertinent to caregiving.
