PARISH NURSE PROGRAM
by Ruth Westrate, RN,
and her Green Valley, AZ church

What is Parish Nursing?
Parish Nursing is a program that provides opportunities for nurturing the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of members of a religious community.

Unitarian Universalist Principles supporting a Parish Nurse Program:

We covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person…acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

Advocacy ---- Consultation

Problem-solving in regard to issues which comfort senior adults and their families.

Goals

• To improve the overall quality of life for the congregation by focusing on health promotion, health screening and health teaching.
• To improve the quality of life for individuals in crisis.
• To develop a dedicated group of volunteers, “A Care Team,” whose members could assist members of the congregation in need.
  

Resources and Services
Information about community resources and services for senior adults can be provided during office, home, or residential visits.

• Housing options
• Meals and nutrition
• Community agencies that provide services to senior adults.

Special Programs at Church

Consultation by Ruth Westrate, RN, every Monday from 9 –A.M. to 12 noon
First Tuesday of the month: 9 –A.M. to 11 A.M.

• Blood-pressure screening
• Special speaker
• Health-related talks about community resources

Role of the Parish Nurse

A Health Educator
Helps people to see the relationship between life styles, personal habits, attitudes, faith, and health.

A Health Counselor
Helps people to recognize and deal with health problems earlier, when they may be reversible.

An Assessor of Congregational Data
Evaluates, through assessment, the spiritual and health-related needs of the congregation.

Mission of Caregivers

1. Perform a labor of love to exemplify caring and spiritual nurturance.
2. Assist the full-time caregiver in the home to have a period of relief from caring for a family member or provide companionship to those who are alone.

Plan:

1. Prepare a job description for the volunteer.
2. Prepare a written description of what is expected from volunteer.
3. Prepare a simple application.
4. Publish information in church bulletin and church monthly newsletter with contact information.
5. Match volunteer with care receiver as well as possible.
6. Record assignments, time spent, and date.

Primary Expectations for the Caregiver

1. Give interval of relief from continuous care giving: Remind the primary caregiver that we care about his or her health and well-being.

2. Volunteers are not prepared to give personal or medical care. They are prepared to be a friend, serve a meal, read, visit, go out to lunch, or take the ill person for a ride. They are always watching your loved one with safety in mind.

3. Whenever possible¾caregiver is to leave a phone number where he or she can be reached.

4. Volunteers can be scheduled through the Parish Nurse office. The Parish Nurse will make a home visit to get instructions from the caregiver prior to assigning the volunteer.

5. Volunteers can be scheduled weekly but not for more than four hours at a time unless special arrangements are made in advance.

6. You are not to financially reimburse the volunteer for the time spent.

7. We do wish some feedback as to how this works out for you, positive or negative. A volunteer can be replaced if you are not comfortable with the situation.

Expectations and Qualifications for Volunteers

Purpose: To help the volunteer to have a satisfying experience in giving time and effort to assist in periodic care of an ill person.

1. You will be called and given instructions from a Respite Care coordinator regarding an assignment.

2. A volunteer needs NO medical training for this. The aim is to only be a FRIEND to the needy person and the caregiver.

3. To relieve the caregiver of continuous responsibility, you as a volunteer would stay with the ill person periodically, or on a one-time basis, for a short time to allow the caregiver some relief. An ideal expectation in time would be up to four hours.

The duties could take many forms, depending on the desire and need of the primary caregiver. (Examples: stay in the home to serve lunch to the person; stay with a person while the caregiver goes to a meeting, shops, or has recreation; take the person out to lunch and for a ride, etc.).

4. Under most circumstances, only one volunteer will be sent to a home for each visit. Often, because of impairment, it is difficult and tiring for the ill person to communicate with more than one person. If two volunteers together visit with each other, the ill person can inadvertently be left out. Any exception will be made by the caregiver and coordinator.

5. Volunteers can be either women or men. Women assigned to a woman and men assigned to a man.

6. Safety is a primary concern in respite care. After receiving instructions from the caregiver, be sure to dial 911 if you feel something outside the ordinary is occurring. If at all possible, get a telephone number where the caregiver can be reached. Don’t take the person to places other than those agreed upon with the primary caregiver.

7. Volunteers can determine how often and how long they want to continue giving their help. However, if you are uncomfortable in your assignment, PLEASE call one of the coordinators immediately for a replacement.

8. Do not leave the person you are visiting without someone there to replace you—(Never leave the ill person alone). If for some reason you must leave, call one of the coordinators for a replacement.

RESPITE CARE
Caregiver Relief
(Respite meaning an interval of relief)

Mission: First, that our labor of love will exemplify our UU faith tradition.

Second, that we assist the full-time caregiver in the home to have a period of relief from caring for a family member.

Purpose: To obtain volunteers to assist a caregiver in the home by staying with the ill family member for a short period of time. This can enable the caregiver to do errands, take some recreation, and have a break from the responsibility.

Plan:
1. Have this group headed by two coordinators.
2. Prepare a job description for the volunteer.
3. Prepare a written description of what the caregiver can expect from the volunteer. (Examples: no personal care, but help with meal of prepared food. Read, visit, and watch person with safety in mind, etc.)
4. Prepare a simple application for each caregiver and each volunteer.
5. Publish Respite Care information in the church bulletin and church monthly letter including phone numbers to call.
6. Coordinators will choose best possible match to send as a volunteer.
7. Records will be kept of assignments, time spent, and dates.