Albert Gallatin provides seminar for volunteers
Seated on chairs in the front of the seminar room, various women took turns grimacing as Mary Myers worked on their feet. Myers, owner of Myers’ Naturopathic Health Center on the Hopwood-Fairchance Road, was performing reflexology on the women. She used strong massage on their feet to treat various ailments throughout their body such as sinus pain and sore backs.
“Reflexology sounds bizarre, but it’s been scientifically proven to work,’ said Myers, who began working in the field 12 years ago after a 16-year career as a nurse. “…Reflexology is not just rubbing your feet. It hurts, but it feels good.’
Myers gave sessions on reflexology and aromatherapy at Albert Gallatin Home Care and Hospice’s second annual volunteer seminar, held recently at the Uniontown Holiday Inn in celebration of National Volunteer Week.
Rosemary Hardy, volunteer coordinator for Albert Gallatin, said the seminar presents ideas for the volunteers to use on themselves, and to offer patients if permission is given.
“We’re hoping they treat themselves but also learn a skill to help in volunteering,’ Hardy said.
In fact, Myers told the volunteers, “Who matters more than yourself? I don’t mean to be selfish, but if you don’t take care of yourselves, how are you going to help other people?’
Hardy reported 57 of the agency’s 114 volunteers attended the all-day workshop, which carried the theme “The American Spirit of Caring.’ Besides Myers, the seminar offered workshops on “Getting Organized’ and “Camp Shining Star,’ which is Albert Gallatin’s summer weekend camp at Jumonville in North Union Township for children who have suffered the recent loss of someone significant in their lives.
Hardy thanked the volunteers in her opening remarks and noted, “Every year, more than 100 million Americans give freely of their time to help others.’
Case in point: In 2000-02, Albert Gallatin recorded had 3,179.15 volunteer hours from people who helped clients in hospice and bereavement care.
The seminar recognized the efforts of all its volunteers and acknowledged those with significant anniversaries, including Joan Gans of Uniontown and Margaret Vandiver of Charleroi, who have both worked 10 years as an Albert Gallatin volunteer.
Asked how she became involved with Albert Gallatin, Gans, who’s retired from banking, said, “It was near the end of my work career and I wanted to do volunteer work. Hospice had helped us when my mother was sick and I wanted to give back to the community. I do bereavement calling and, once in a while, if they’re doing a special project, I help out.’
Vandiver had the experience of losing someone close to her with the death of her first husband. Her second husband, the Rev. Elwood Vandiver, is a chaplain for Mon Valley Hospital and also does bereavement support.
“I thought why can’t I help someone else,’ said Vandiver.
Sometimes, she is called to sit with someone. But mostly, she does bereavement calls that are made the first, third, sixth, ninth, 12th and 13th months after a death.
Vandiver calls the work “rewarding.’
Gans, who does bereavement calling and helps Albert Gallatin out with special projects, said she likes working with other volunteers as well as helping people: “They need someone to talk to. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger than someone they really know.’
Also a volunteer for the Uniontown Service League and SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives), Gans said of volunteer work, “You get more than you give.’
Gans is not the only Albert Gallatin volunteer who also gives her time to other organizations. Kim Rabatin, a three-year volunteer from Flatwoods, said she works part-time for Fayette County Mental Health so she can volunteer part-time at Albert Gallatin, Meals on Wheels, Fayette County Interfaith Caregivers Inc. and a couple of nursing homes.
“I really enjoy helping others,’ said Rabatin. “I get so much back.’
Sylvia Fedor of McClellandtown believes she’s one of the oldest of Albert Gallatin’s volunteers at age 72.
“I like helping people. I always like to help,’ said Fedor.
The women also appreciate the volunteer seminar that Albert Gallatin offers.
“I love coming to these things. I was here last year. It’s wonderful,’ said Rabatin. “Albert Gallatin offers a great service by doing this for their volunteers.’
The workshop ranged from serious subject such as Albert Gallatin’s Camp Shining Star, a session given by Marilyn Cartwright, Albert Gallatin’s bereavement coordinator.
Her handout offers advice for speaking to children about death, including such questions as “Does it hurt to die?’ and “Why do people that we love die?’
The answers were thoughtful: “People die for many reasons. Sometimes people grow old, and their bodies stop working. Some people are involved in tragic accidents and some people develop diseases and illnesses. When this happens, their bodies shut down and stop working.’
And: “It seems so unfair when someone we love dies. Everyone will lose someone that they love at some time in their lives. Death happens to everyone, and everyone is loved by someone. It helps to know that we are not alone.’
The handout also included suggestions for talking to a child about death: “Children should be offered opportunities to talk about death as they experience it in their everyday world. The death of flowers, leaves, pets and relatives should be addressed as a natural occurrence in the scheme of life.’
And: “Children should be included in the rituals of death whenever possible and appropriate. They should be offered the opportunity to participate if they so desire.’
Myers’ workshops on reflexology and aromatherapy included hands-on demonstrations as she worked on the feet of various volunteers and staffers in an effort to relieve physical conditions.
Using a volunteer’s foot in a demonstration, Myers explained that reflexology believes that various parts of the body relate to the feet.
The top of the foot relates to the head and various body parts follow the foot to the heel. The left foot represents the left side of the body while the right foot represents the right side. Either side of the spine is represented in the arches of the feet.
Myers worked on several women, massaging different sections of their feet according to their physical complaint. She also worked on the back and offered aromoatherapy through the use of various oils.
Asked what effect Myers had on their problems, the women who volunteered for the demonstrations had a variety of answers.
Pat Sokol of Uniontown, a five-year volunteer, said, “I think you have to take everything with a grain of salt. … It did feel good, the oil.’
Jennifer Croftcheck of Republic, an administrative assistant for Albert Gallatin, said, “I thought it was wonderful. When she was done, I felt very relaxed. I’ve been suffering from sinus problems, missing a lot of work. It felt wonderful. I could breathe. When she touched my foot, it hurt. When she touched my back, that felt wonderful.’
Hardy gave the seminar on “Let’s Get Organized,’ offering tips to help make life less stressful.
She told the volunteers, “Everyone of us has the same 24 hours in one day. Some seem to accomplish a lot. Others never seem to get anything done. Remember you cannot manage time. You can only manage yourself in respect to time.’
Hardy and the volunteers gave some tips on time-savers and being organized, including:
– Get a loose-leafed binder and separate it into sections with one section for each family member. Include name, birth date, Social Security number, favorite color, sizes and immunizations.
– Write a grocery list on the outside of an envelope and put coupons inside the envelope. Mark a “C” next to the items that have a coupon.
– Keep printed address labels in your purse and use them when ordering something, filling out photo orders, registering for prize drawings, identifying a book.
– Hardy hates to touch meat, so she mixes meatloaf by placing all the contents in a plastic storage bag and mixing it by kneading it with her hands. Then she opens the bag and puts the finished product in a baking dish.
– For children’s school papers, place them in a portable file box and at the end of the year, choose special papers to keep. Store them in that year’s backpack.
– Put a laundry basket in the car to hold packages when shopping. One woman packs clothing for trips in a laundry basket and then just places all the dirty clothing back into the laundry basket, ready for the washer when she returns home.
– Anything you can do the night before will make the day easier: set the table for breakfast, pack lunches, lay out your wardrobe.
– Have a plan every day. Write it on paper. Keep it visible at all times and mark it off as done.
Hardy also noted, “You can’t be all things to all people. You can’t take on too many tasks. …Save some time every day for yourself. Don’t let anything interfere with that block of relaxation. You need free time for your brain to rest and your body to feel better.’
For more information on being a volunteer for Albert Gallatin Home Care and Hospice or about Camp Shining Star, call 724-438-6600.