SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – Many families caring for loved ones in hospice care say it's a dark and exhausting time.
Volunteers from local hospice organizations offer support and are often a go-to presence when families don't know where to turn.
Pruitt Health currently serves 60 families, but with only two volunteers, it's nearly impossible to provide the support families want.
Pruitt Health Hospice, a Savannah hospice company, is looking for volunteers after a four-year volunteer shortage.
“When COVID hit, a lot of facilities were closed and people couldn't do anything without the proper permits and people didn't want people to have patients in their homes,” said Leija Mitchell with Pruitt Health.
Mitchell hoped volunteers would start to pick up after restrictions were eased, but four years later, it's still a struggle: The company now has 60 patients and serves six counties, but currently only has two volunteers.
“We would love to provide this service to families but at this time we are limited in what we can do even though we have volunteers,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said these volunteers are the backbone of their work, delivering heart and soup to families and their loved ones, making their final hours the best they can be.
“It's really rewarding, and you get more out of it than the patient,” Mitchell said.
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