Volunteers assist local
families
By Lynde Smith
Staff
Writer
The Caregiver Companion program, offered through
the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences, gives students the chance
to help others and get hands-on experience.
The local program is organized to assist caregivers
that take care of their homebound family members.
"We will go in and stay with the patient so the
family member can go out for a couple of hours," said Sister Veronica,
who founded the program in 1995.
The organization has about 130 volunteers who each
donate a few hours of their time a week to sit with the homebound person.
The volunteers provide these services to approximately 120 families.
Not only do the participants help out by giving
the caregiver time to get out and get some errands done, but they also
provide services such as transportation, laundry and housekeeping.
It gives the caregiver a new outlook when they
can get out because they often have to be there 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, and they often come back with much better spirits, said
Sister Veronica.
"We do this when other agencies cannot," she said.
"Agencies call us when they don't have the funds to supply services."
The service is free, except when the family gives
donations, which helps the program to continue. It is funded by donations
and grants.
Debra Murawski, an instructor in the School of
Pharmacy, has students in PHPR 318, "Service Learning I," volunteer
for the program. She said that the students usually give positive feedback
and speak highly of getting out and receiving the hands-on experience.
"It is wonderful. I don't know if West Lafayette
and Lafayette know what a blessing they have with this program," said
Murawski.
"When I took the class, I loved it," said Sarah
Dick, a senior in the School of Pharmacy. "I still go once a week. It
is the best class I could have possibly taken. It is a great program
to get involved in and volunteer for."
Sister Veronica said, "One reason that it is so
important for pharmacy and medical students to do this is because they
see these people in their homes and it gives them a greater compassion
for their patients."
"It is a wonderful thing that Purdue lets these
students do this," she said. "It is a very worthwhile course."
The elderly love the program because it gives them
someone to talk to besides their caregiver, said Sister Veronica. It
gives them a friend that visits them regularly.
"It is wonderful for the elderly and the family.
It creates a bond between them and the caregiver," she said. "Friendship
is the most important service that we provide."
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