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★ ★ ★ Salute to ★
★
★
★ ★ Volunteers ★ ★

DELRAY MEDICAL CENTER VITAS HEALTHCARE - PALM BEACH COUNTY

Michael Goldman
Abbi Bentz
Michael Goldman has been volunteering for more
than three years at Delray Medical Center. Michael han- Abbi Bentz brings to VITAS patients the same concern
dles the visitor check-in at the main tower entrance of and compassion that she provides to her own patients as
the hospital. Michael is no stranger to volunteering. He a home care nurse. A VITAS volunteer since 2017, Abbi
spent 19 years as a big brother on the Jewish Big Brother visits with patients, arranges FaceTime calls with their
& Big Sister of Greater Boston Board of Directors. When out-of-town families and enjoys painting with them.
Michael moved down to Delray Beach fulltime, he She also makes Paw Pals® pet visits with Lady, a now-
looked for a new opportunity and Delray Medical certified therapy dog she found abandoned three years
Center was the perfect fit. Michael loves the compas- ago in a Palm Beach parking lot. “I’ve had pets all my
sionate, friendly staff at the hospital and says they’re a life, but never one like Lady,” she says. “When I go into
delight to work with. Michael may volunteer, but he’s far patients’ homes or nursing homes and they say, ‘My
from retired. He owns a chemical sales company in Medfield, Massachusetts, which Lady’s here!’, I know they’re not talking about me.
requires his daily attention and still requires him to travel. If you’re interested in vol- They’re talking about Lady. She gets a lot of attention because she’s such a loving
unteering, Michael would encourage you not to hesitate and says the experience is dog.”
fulfilling and fun. When Michael isn’t volunteering or working, he enjoys swimming, A founding member of the Interfaith Health and Wellness Association in Palm
playing duplicate bridge, gardening and fishing. Beach County, Abbi takes her volunteer role seriously. “For a lot of our patients, they
don’t have anyone else to talk to or share their stores with,” she says. “In some way,
Linda Bouvier I’m helping these people carry on their memories and their legacy.”

Linda Bouvier started volunteering at Delray Medical
Center in 2015. She has accumulated over 800 hours of Rob Carey
service. Linda volunteers at the information desk at the
visitor check-in point in the tower lobby. She gives To Rob Carey, life is about three things:
directions to the visitors as needed and coordinates with “Relationships, finding purpose and building a legacy–
department heads when their appointments arrive. and you don’t get a legacy until you get the first two.” A
Linda became a volunteer because she wanted to give VITAS hospice volunteer since 2012, Rob has found a
back to the community and she always enjoyed the chance at all three. He says volunteering has even
medical field. Linda enjoys helping people when they offered a “purpose for the pain” of PTSD that he sus-
come to visit their family or friends at the hospital and tained after two combat tours in Vietnam. That purpose,
tries to put a smile on their face while they’re visiting. What makes Delray Medical he believes, is to help him connect with other veterans
Center unique in her eyes is the hospital’s great reputation as a leader in medical who feel adrift near life’s end. Rob meets WWII veterans
advancements. Linda stated that she gets to work with world-class professionals and to swap stories, listen and help them work out their
dedicated volunteers. The friends she has made at the hospital has been the biggest experiences through life biographies.
reward, especially working with 106-year-old volunteer, Charles Carroll. Prior to vol- Rob takes time to study each patient’s religious beliefs and musical preferences. It’s
unteering, Linda owned and operated a large insurance agency. This gave her experi- his way of building bridges between himself and the patient. “It's an honor to be in
ence interfacing with all kinds of people and personalities. When Linda isn’t volun- the presence of a dying person and help make them comfortable,” he says. “This is
teering she is an active member of the Quilt Guild by the Sea. Through her efforts, the purpose for the pain I’ve been given.”
Delray Medical Center was able to provide over 30 Quilts of Valor to veteran volun-
teers and employees at the hospital who served in our armed forces.

VITAS HEALTHCARE - DADE & MONROE COUNTIES

Andrea Montalvao

Andrea Montalvao of Hallandale Beach describes her role as a hospice volunteer as a “calling.” For 16 years, she has volunteered regularly for
VITAS at Palm Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at Aventura. A licensed massage therapist by training, Andrea offers gentle hand and
scalp massages (with the resident’s doctor’s permission) and spends time talking with residents, playing music, fixing their hair and taking them
outdoors to spend time together.
“I see a difference when I play music,” says Andrea of her volunteer assignment with VITAS care teams in Palm Beach County. “Their attitudes
change, their mood improves. I love doing what I do. My life changed for the better when I started volunteering. It really puts life in perspec-
tive.”

VITAS HEALTHCARE - TREASURE COAST

Tracy Baldwin Carl Muti

Tracy Baldwin knows her volunteer work with VITAS As a Eucharist minister in the Catholic church, Carl
is as much about Lance, her four-year-old Standard Muti was a fine fit for the role of spiritual care volun-
Poodle therapy dog, as it is about her desire to provide teer. But don’t box him in; he’s happy to help however
companionship to hospice patients. he can: “It all depends on the patient’s needs,” he says.
“I know how lonely hospice patients can be,” says Carl was drawn to hospice after his mother elected
Tracy, who at age 19 cared for her own mother before she to receive the benefit following a terminal cancer prog-
passed away from breast cancer. With pet visits, “I see nosis. During her care, a hospice volunteer covered for
how patients light up, how they reach out and pet Lance Rob and his sister while they took a much-needed
and wait for his next visit. They just get so much joy break. That simple gesture stuck with Rob for a
from him.” Tracy and Lance began as VITAS Paw Pals® decade, and in 2010 he began volunteering with
pet visit volunteers in September 2019. VITAS.
“Pet visits are amazing. Lance will walk right in and look around at everybody, and "Since I’ve started volunteering, I’ve found so much peace,” Rob says. “I’m meet-
he’ll zone in on the person who needs him. He’s woken up patients to say their last ing virtual strangers, and in such a short period they’re sharing their life stories
goodbyes to their loved ones. I’ll leave a patient’s house or room knowing that with me and welcoming me into their homes. It's such a blessing to be part of their
moments like that are amazing. And I see a difference in Lance, too. He’s got a really journey, sometimes it’s like they’re ministering to me.”
good gift, and I just want to share it.”

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com April 2020 23