| Letter from the President
Dear Friends,
As we go to press, BHH just completed training a whole new set of volunteers. This training focuses on all that we do, so that trainees come away with a thorough knowledge of all our functions. They can then choose an area for which they would like to volunteer. Lesley Hughes, Craig Gatrel, Denise Daniels, and Maxine (Max) Wolfehandled the training duties. We have a full class of nine individuals for this training session. These volunteers bring a variety of skills to our teams, but everyone has the same desire to contribute to the community in a positive way. We are very grateful that they picked BHH as their volunteer organization.
From time to time, our Patient Care Coordinators receive calls from people with suicidal thoughts, those patients or caretakers dealing with dementia, and inquiries about creating a caretaker support group. BHH is not a licensed healthcare provider so we do not provide any medical services, but we can provide information and some initial support to people with these issues. We will be adding some pages to our website soon with contact information geared to these callers. These pages will contain contact information and links to well-known and highly praised websites. When our PCCs get calls about these issues they will be able to help the caller get some help. Sometimes all a person needs is someone to listen to them. We are going to make sure they get that opportunity!
By the way, if you have any experience in these areas, please contact Dave Nichols, our new Volunteer Coordinator. You can also volunteer to help on the BHH website at volunteer.
Be well,
John Earle | |  | | Council Minutes Now on BHH Website Anyone interested in council minutes for 2022 can now find them on the website. All future minutes will also be posted there. | |  | On the left: Maxine Wolfe, Ginny Woolley, Bob Honyak, Deb Hornstra, Herta Bernback, and Kelly Honyak. On the right: Craig Gatrel, John Quintana, Lesley Hughes, Robert Ryan, Barry McNeil, and Dave Nichols.
| | | Training Graduates Nine New Volunteers
On August 22, 24, and 26 an enthusiastic group of volunteers attended Boquete Health and Hospice New Volunteer Training. In this 3-day comprehensive class, local experienced instructors spoke on a wide range of topics. The group learned about the history of BHH, how it fits into the community, and the resources available to all Boquete residents. They also had ample opportunity to participate in hands-on activities. During the training Kat McKay of the Equipment Team spoke about the BHH medical equipment loan program. John Ferguson of the Respiratory Team demonstrated how to clean and test an oxygen concentrator, as well as replace filters. Dr. Rod Gottula discussed the death and grieving process. And Sandra Cripe explained the value of the Being Prepared for End of Life in Boquete program.
The training is designed so volunteers can discover the myriad of services and equipment that BHH offers to the community and enables them to answer questions such as these:
Did you know there is a Being Prepared for End of Life workbook available? It stresses the importance of detailing your medical preferences and end-of-life wishes. Panama's medical system and services are very different from what we are accustomed to in our home countries. Navigating through the local healthcare network can sometimes be daunting. Details on obtaining a manual can be found later in this issue.
Did you know that BHH services are available to all residents of the entire Boquete community? BHH is not exclusively for expats! In fact, 50% of recent calls to our Patient Care Coordinators have been from Panamanians.
Did you know that music can be comforting and stress-relieving? BHH can provide a customized music program for patients and caregivers through its Magic of Music program.
Did you know that crutches, wheelchairs, and other equipment are available to the community? BHH has medical equipment available for short-term loan at no charge.
Did you know that a blood drive is scheduled in Boquete on Saturday, November 19? Don't miss it! Look for more information later in this issue. Your donations of blood and financial contributions are vital to the well-being of the community and ensure that everyone in the community who needs blood will receive it.
We wholeheartedly thank all the participants who generously gave of their time and knowledge and look forward to working with our new volunteers! New Volunteer Training is available to anyone who would like to learn more about the organization and the possibility of volunteering. Contact Dave Nichols, Volunteer Manager, at disasterdave@yahoo.com if you're interested. | | BHH Transitions
Congratulations to Bill Hinrichesen, who is not only taking care of our website, but has also stepped in to take on the role of Treasurer. | | | After a couple of weeks of orientation with Lesley Hughes (who will be his back up), he will be paying our bills and keeping us afloat.
Lesley, of course, will continue to serve the council as the Past President and pitch-hitter for the PCCs when they are all out of the country.
Congratulations and welcome to Maxine Wolfe (Max), who has stepped into the role of Trainer for Boquete Health and Hospice. She comes to us with a great background in training and we are so happy to have her join us.
Congratulations to Dave Nichols, aka Disaster Dave, who is taking over volunteer management. He has a great deal of experience in the non-profit and government sectors, including disaster preparedness. Lesley is so happy! He also handles our social media and keeps our Zoom meetings on track!
Congratulations to Sandra Cripe, now Team Leader for the Being Prepared team, which creates the training and manual we offer to help navigate end of life decisions here in Panamá. Taking this training is critical for both expats and Panamanians to ensure their last wishes will be carried out under Panamanian law. Sandra is actively enhancing the Being Prepared program to reach a much broader Boquete audience, both Panamanian and expat. | | | Get to Know Disaster Dave
I know some of you, but I wanted to formally introduce myself. I am the new Volunteer Manager for BHH. My wife and I moved here 18 months ago and love Boquete. And if there are other Palmerians out there, we just broke ground in Palmira Abajo!
So, what do I want? I want you to have a great volunteer experience with BHH! I will be chatting with some of you as we go down this road of reopening. And if you're interested in taking on something here at BHH or want to try something new, check out our organization chart below. There are some empty slots we would love to fill.
If you have concerns, want to volunteer or try a new role, or are interested in learning more, shoot me an email and let's chat (phone, Zoom, email; no snail mail). That's it. I'm here to help you have a great time at BHH.
Dave Nichols
Volunteer Manager
disasterdave@yahoo.com | | | |
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