Volunteers Needed for “No One Dies Alone” Program

Antelope Valley Medical Center is launching a new program designed to ensure no patient will be alone when facing death. Whether patients have no family support or if relatives need a break from being at the patient’s bedside, the “No One Dies Alone” program relies on volunteers who offer their presence and kind gestures like holding a hand, reading a book or simply being present.

The hospital will have an informational meeting at 6 p.m. on May 2 for volunteers interested in helping to offer support and companionship to dying patients. The meeting will take place at the Antelope Valley Medical Center Community Resource Center, 44151 15th Street West in Lancaster. Presenters will outline the requirements necessary to become a volunteer and the impact they’ll have on patient lives. Program volunteers would be on call to serve three-hour shifts.

“Facing death alone without the support of loved ones can be a traumatic experience,” said Miranda Jennings, RN, the hospital’s palliative care coordinator. “The No One Dies Alone program allows volunteers to act as compassionate companions and offer comfort to terminally ill patients.”

Started in 2001 in Oregon, the No One Dies Alone program has spread to hundreds of hospitals, hospices and care facilities across the country. Antelope Valley Medical Center is the first medical center in northern Los Angeles County to introduce the program.

To register, send an email to volunteers@AVMC.org by April 27.