Empath Health seeking hospice care volunteers after decline during pandemic

CLEARWATER, Fla. - As former President Jimmy Carter made the decision to enter home hospice care after recent hospital stays, local healthcare providers say it points to the benefit's hospice can provide.

"The more that the nation can learn from President Carter’s, I think willingness to really talk about the end-of-life journey, I think is a wonderful opportunity for families to have the conversations, for families to learn about the benefits that hospice can provide," Jonathan Fleece, the president and CEO of Empath Health, said.

Empath Health provides hospice care for people throughout the Tampa Bay area using a holistic approach to care for patients and their families.

READ: 'He's an honest person': Former Florida governor, Tampa mayor reflects on memories of Jimmy Carter

"We can provide beyond even the clinical: music therapy, art therapy, aroma therapy, pet therapy, Reiki therapy. So, many of these approaches that really treat the whole patient, the whole family," Fleece said.

It takes a special team of people to provide those services, including volunteers who provide thousands of hours of service each year.

"The volunteers truly deliver something that makes a difference to the patient and is above and beyond. So, a volunteer walks into a home, and they don't have an agenda. They're there to just be," Stacy Groff, Empath Health's vice president of Volunteer Engagement, said.

MORE: Former President Jimmy Carter enters hospice care, Carter Center says

Groff says volunteer numbers are down 30-50% from pre-pandemic levels, depending on the service line. Few of the volunteers who left during the pandemic are returning.

"There's so many things we can provide, and the more volunteers we have, the more services we can provide," Groff said.

Empath Health says volunteers don’t need a medical background or specific skillset just a helping heart. 

For more information, contact (941) 894-1753 or empathvolunteers.org