Agape House, the hospice for the terminally ill.

Volunteer coordinator Mrs. Jacqueline Horsfield's plea was targeted at businesses as well as individuals.

She explained to Hamilton Lions Club how volunteers could help in a wide variety of ways.

These included caring for the terminally ill, dealing with administration, and helping with meals.

Companies could play a part by allowing employees to help the hospice, she added.

"They could make skills available to us,'' she said, pointing out the hospice could benefit from computer expertise.

Mrs. Horsfield later told The Royal Gazette cash support was also needed.

In the long-term, the Friends of the Hospice was seeking some $500,000 to boost service for patients, including those with AIDS, and improve equipment.

Money was, however, needed for shorter term goals, such as sponsoring training programmes and paying for a specialist, said Mrs. Horsfield.

She added all would-be volunteers faced careful screening. Naturally, they had to be sensitive people.

Mrs. Horsfield said the hospice provided physical, psychological and spiritual care for patients and their families.

"We recognise death is a normal process.'' Among the services offered to patients was day-care, Mrs. Horsfield explained.

"People often liked to keep their loved ones at home,'' she said.

Looking to the future, Mrs. Horsfield said a key goal was to provide home care.

This would not be a replacement for the Patients Assistance League Service (PALS).

It would, however, allow patients to be cared for in the comfort of their home.

Mrs. Horsfield continued by highlighting the hospice's "bill of rights'' for the dying.

These included rights to be treated as a living human being; to maintain a sense of hopefulness; to express feelings and emotions about approaching death and to participate in decisions concerning care.