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Religion

Hospital looking for spiritual volunteers

St. Joseph's will offer training this month for pastoral care volunteers, who offer support for patients and families.

By MEAGHAN FORBES
Published February 3, 2006

Angie Ponichtera enjoys talking with patients about what concerns them most. She holds their hands. She has a bright smile. She lets them know she's thinking about them.

Ponichtera is one of 17 pastoral care volunteers at St. Joseph's Hospital. The hospital's pastoral care department, a partnership between chaplains and laity, provides spiritual care for patients and their families.

"There's a real need for people to be listened to," said Jan Hoyt, the pastoral care volunteer coordinator.

To expand its volunteer base, the department is offering a 30-hour course beginning Feb. 16 to train lay people to visit patients, families and staff.

"(Health care) is not just about biology, it's about mind, body and spirit," said Dan Kreutzer, the pastoral care department director. "Lay people are really very important in our care."

The program aims to train volunteers on the art of listening and the importance of patient support.

"(The class) is very intense," said Carmen Caban, a hospital chaplain who started as a pastoral care volunteer five years ago.

Caban volunteered for three years while completing studies at a local Bible school. She was hired as a chaplain in 2004 and will become an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God Church in May.

"Volunteering was a foundation to help me grow and to learn in the ministry that I'm in today," Caban said.

On a typical day, pastoral care volunteers visit patients in several areas of the hospital, including the emergency room, the children's hospital and the cancer institute.

"We're not there to fix everything," Kreutzer said. "We're there to be companions."

Patients decide if they want a visit and for how long. Volunteers will pray with the patient or read from the Bible. They also can refer a chaplain.

"I was in the hospital a couple of years ago and I've never forgotten how good (a chaplain) was for me," said Jennefer Deremo, 59, a patient on the cardiac floor.

Oliver Fields, who was in for heart bypass surgery, says he enjoys the spiritual visits.

"I'm not ever going to turn anyone from pastoral care service away," said Fields, 61. "It makes me feel better, like I still have a contact with the man upstairs."

Besides the spiritual support, pastoral care volunteers can be emotional pillars during often unstable times.

"People will tell us things that they won't even tell their family members," Kreutzer said.

The pastoral care department screens candidates before they can register for the five-week program. After the five weeks, they are interviewed again. Once accepted, volunteers serve one day a week for four hours.

Volunteers must be affiliated with a local congregation, parish or synagogue and have a referral from their clergy person.

"I would highly recommend it," Caban said. "You have the opportunity to minister to others and to serve others, no matter what age."

Meaghan Forbes can be reached at 226-3434 or mforbes@sptimes.com

St. Joseph's Hospital is offering a five-week class starting Feb. 16 to train people to become pastoral care volunteers. No previous experience is needed. All ages welcome. The application deadline is Thursday. For information, call 554-8402.

[Last modified February 2, 2006, 11:27:10]