CABOT — Angels are wandering the halls at Concordia Lutheran Ministries assisted living facilities, providing comfort for residents in the last moments of life.

Though not equipped with wings, halos or harps, volunteers use calming hymns, inspirational readings and a sensitive touch to make residents' passing more peaceful.

As part of the Angels on Call program, residents and staff volunteer their time to residents when family and friends are not around to provide comfort.

Started in 2002, the program was developed in response to concerns by staff at Concordia's skilled nursing facilities that residents were dying alone.

Roni Lucas, director of programming for residents at the time, noted the nurses and staff were unable to spend time sitting with residents they often formed a friendship with.

Responding to these concerns, Lucas went to work, developing the Angels on Call program.

Volunteers in the program undergo six weeks of training, preparing them for what to expect in a resident's last moments of life.

The six sessions include presentations by Concordia staff, bereavement counselors and clergy, deterring some would-be volunteers who are not prepared to deal with the emotions of watching someone die.

"Most everybody has been around death, it just bothers them more, that's just nature, said Cloah Masnick, 84, a resident of the Haven III Apartments who has served as an "angel" since the program began.

For 77-year-old Barb Schneidmiller of the Haven II apartments, being a volunteer was a comfort to her after losing two sons of her own.

"It was something I could do to help,"she said.

By the end of training, volunteers provide Concordia staff with a schedule of times they are available to sit with a patient.

When a resident is close to death, nursing staff check to see if the Angels on Call program has been requested. If not, the staff speaks with the resident or his or her family to ask if the service is desired.

Nurses contact volunteers, ensuring someone — a volunteer, friend or family member — will be on hand 24 hours a day.

A poster of an angel, the logo for the program, is posted on the door of the resident's room, warning passers-by to be respectful.

"All staff realized that was a symbol," said Lucas noting that staff desired a peaceful environment. "We didn't want to go in there changing light bulbs or running wax machines. Also, this was your chance to say goodbye."

With permission of the resident or family members, volunteers are told the name, religion and some background about the person they have been asked to visit.

Some residents also make requests for certain Bible passages to be read or hymns to be sung in their last hours. They can also specify whether they would like a volunteer to hold their hand, or simply sit by their bed.

Masnick, who likes to read poetry, believes that even though most people she visits are unconscious, they know she's there.

"I'm sure they're aware, that's my opinion," she said.

Carrying a book of poetry during her visits, Masnick hopes to remind the resident of happier times.

"I've always been under the opinion that they can hear you. ... I have different poems I read, I take them back to summertime or when they were young."

Masnick also noted she tries to make the resident feel it is OK to die, believing some people fight to stay alive out of concern for those they are leaving behind.

"We've heard of endless stories of people waiting for someone to come until they die, waiting for someone to leave until they die,"said Lucas.

Though volunteers may differ in beliefs or religious backgrounds, Lucas noted the goal is to provide comfort, no matter the form.

"At the end of life, the need for God and the Lord is so much greater that you really can't make a mistake,"she said.

Though volunteers work to directly comfort the dying, the sense of peace also extends to the family whether separated from their loved one by distance or just needing a break from their bedside vigil.

"To have fellow Christians come along one's side at this time in a Christian's life is comforting and supportive," said Evan Wimer of Saxonburg, whose 94-year-old mother died at Concordia in November 2004.

"It made things a lot easier for me knowing that periodically, there would be someone with her.

In Masnick's years of volunteering, she has only once been in the room when a resident passed away.

"I noticed that her breathing wasn't just right," recalled Masnick. "They tell you to watch out for anything out of the ordinary, and then of course you get the nurse."

As part of the training, Lucas said, volunteers are encouraged to be calm when a resident passes away, noting that the care they provide is "comforting, not curative."

According to Lucas, there are currently more than 25 volunteers serving in the Angels on Call program. Since volunteers can be activated in any of Concordia's facilities, she noted it was difficult to tell how often the service is used.

Masnick recalled a period where she had not been called for weeks.

"They sent us all notes that said it was wonderful that nobody had died. We just weren't needed, which was good."

When the program is in effect, however, Lucas said volunteers are extremely dedicated, wanting to stay for longer than the recommended two-hour shifts.

"There's some people that know this is their calling. ... Ihave to say they put up a fight; they really do want to stay.

In addition to the appreciation received by the families of deceased residents, the Angels on Call program has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging, which awarded the program its 2003 Distinguished Service Award.

Despite the recognition, Lucas sees the function as just one aspect of Concordia's end-of-life services.

"It's our goal to really improve end-of-life care,"she said.

For Masnick, it's just a service to fulfill a basic human need.

"Those dear people are leaving the world, and they should have somebody with them."