These volunteers underwent special training enabling them to help patients with chronic heart problems who have been recently discharged from Fort Sanders Parkwest or Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. The volunteers call the patients at home a few days after leaving the hospital and make sure they understand their discharge instructions, home care, and heart symptoms. They also provide emotional support and may assist the heart patient in locating other resources, if needed.

The pilot program has been very successful, according to Vicki Durham, RN, with Fort Sanders Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. Dorothy Braunreuther and Dee Dickenson are two of the volunteers who have made the program so beneficial to heart patients. A phone call from a heart volunteer is comforting and reassuring, and the trained volunteers also listen for problems or concerns that they report to the nurses at the Fort Sanders Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation.

Thanks to this program and the good work of volunteers, many patients have been alerted to see their physicians sooner than planned to address a concern before it became a bigger problem.

Seniors interested in volunteering for this program should contact Vicki Durham at 531-5593 for details.