Learning and Growing
I can’t believe it’s been a year already! The Serious Illness Program (SIP) opened up its (metaphorical) doors this time last year and we hit the ground running. Our small crew of volunteers were trained and ready to go as we worked on spreading the word about this new program.
It was a little slow at first, but word got out and people found their way to us, or they were referred by healthcare professionals, and the program grew. As of this writing there are 40 participants in the program! That number far exceeds our expectations for the first year. It’s been an honor to meet each and every one of them and I’ve learned so much about what this program can be from listening to what their needs are.
The amazing team of SIP volunteers has gone above and beyond by being willing, flexible, and creative. Together we have all been learning and growing, and their support and feedback is invaluable. We are in the process of finishing our second volunteer training and looking forward to being able to serve more participants as we move into our second year.
One of the most common questions about SIP is, “What do the volunteers do?” That question always stops me in my tracks because the most important thing that a volunteer can bring to an interaction with a program participant is probably the most intangible. While volunteering can consist of practical activities such as transportation, social activities, helping with chores, or facilitating a support group, there is an aspect to the work that is often overlooked and almost impossible to describe. That aspect is simply embodying the grounded presence of a person who is just “there.”
In a recent article in (of all places) The Harvard Business Review, Lisa Zigarmi and Stella Grizont described this presence as “attunement” and how it can be helpful in leadership. While our volunteers are not being trained for “leadership” the concept is the same. I recommend reading the piece. An excerpt:
With attunement, leaders use their presence—eye contact, body language, and inner stillness—to convey support. Research shows that this kind of social support can dramatically shift how people perceive stressful situations. In fact, the act of attunement before taking next steps can make future solutions more effective. Simply feeling seen can move employees out of a survival response and into a state of connection, clarity, and commitment.
The piece goes on to talk about how stressful times are right now. And they are! And they are getting increasingly stressful. Program participants are worried not only about their health, but their finances, their health insurance, the stress on their loved ones brought about by their illness, how to navigate an increasingly disjointed and overwhelmed healthcare system, and more. What can volunteers do in the face of all that?? They can be present, they can be attuned, and they can be the calming presence that can lessen that “survival response” that can make it impossible to think or even consider the next step.
One participant has expressed her experience of the program by saying, “You know, this is all such a mess and it’s so overwhelming to stay on top of everything, but the one thing I know is that when I reach out to you guys, someone will respond. That is the only consistent thing that I have right now, and that means everything to me, even though I know you guys don’t have the power to change what I am dealing with. I know you can’t do anything about all this, but it makes a huge difference.”
This is just one aspect of SIP, and it’s at the heart of everything we do. As the program grows we will be able to do more and more. If you’d like to join us, there will be another volunteer training in the Fall. I am looking forward to an amazing second year!
Thank you, SIP Volunteers! ~Eileen Glover, SIP Coordinator