Get It Done SB volunteers are giving the gift of peace of mind to Santa Barbara seniors, one Advance Directive at a time

On a misty spring day in March, Advance Care Planning volunteer Shirley Strickler held a lively workshop for the retirement community at Valle Verde. 

While fielding questions on CPR, life-sustaining treatments, and organ donation from the audience of over 40 seniors, Shirley guided them through a small booklet called the MyCare Advance Directive, a legal document designed to communicate medical wishes should someone be unable to speak for themselves. The following week, 38 Valle Verde residents returned to get their completed Advance Directives reviewed, notarized, and submitted to Cottage Hospital for free. 

At dozens of community workshops each year, volunteers for Get It Done SB! bring education about Advance Directives and end-of-life care to senior communities and service organizations.

Volunteer-powered community education

Get It Done SB, an initiative of Hospice of Santa Barbara, has been providing thorough and accessible education on Advance Directives for Santa Barbara residents since 2021, with the goal of having all adult community members have an Advance Directive on file with the hospital and their doctor.

Featuring a small but mighty team of 4 staff and 24 volunteers, Get It Done SB! has helped complete over 500 Advance Directives in the past two years, the majority of which have been seniors, and volunteer power has been essential to the initiative’s success.

“Ever since we fully launched our volunteer program in 2023, we have been able to expand and partner with over 60 organizations to offer ACP education to those who need it most,” says Get It Done SB Community Liaison Maritza Torres Benitez. “Our volunteers receive thorough training, so they are really able to make Advance Care Planning this dynamic and approachable topic.”

In any given month, Get It Done SB volunteers are busy all over South County, highlighting the importance of Advance Directives at community workshops, private appointments, and tabling events. 

The Power of a Conversation

Most of the volunteers’ work lies simply in having conversations, often in group or one-on-one settings. Advance Care Planning is a process, not a single step, and the power of volunteers lies in kickstarting that process with talking about death and dying, and what defines clients’ ideal quality of life.

Get It Done SB volunteers are able to bring a gentle and empathetic touch to conversations about end-of-life care, which often bring out strong emotions such as fear, confusion, and even anger. Many of these conversations require careful maneuvering, patience, and respect for the clients’ wishes and values, especially when helping seniors and those with life-threatening illnesses.

“Imagining you or a loved one at end-of-life can trigger many unexpected emotions and memories, even in someone ready to complete their Advance Directive,” says Get It Done SB Manager Adriana Marroquin. “Many of our volunteers have done Advance Care Planning themselves, which helps them put clients at ease. Our volunteers let them know, ‘it’s okay to be afraid, I was too.’”