Become a Volunteer
Hospice Volunteers play a vital role in hospice care organizations. Some volunteers interact directly with patients and families. Others prefer to work behind the scenes in the office setting. Hospice Volunteers help hospice organizations provide a high level of patient care at a time when it is necessary.
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"New volunteers tell me that they are uneasy being a patient volunteer because they don't know how to act, I simply say, "you don't have to act, just be you."
- John Montgomery
If you are thinking of volunteering for a local hospice, you may be unsure about what tasks you'll be asked to do. To help you decide if hospice volunteering is for you, here a few of the things that you may do as a hospice volunteer.
Volunteer Tasks
Patient/Caregiver Support: Volunteers strengthen our team by providing care and comfort to patients and their families. The biggest impact they make is by just being there for patients--holding hands, reading, preforming small tasks, light housekeeping, and empathetic listening. Volunteers are able to give a caregiver a few hours of rest by just being present in the home while the caregiver completes errands, goes to appointments or just enjoys some relaxation time.
Office Support: Hospice office volunteers assist with medical records, admission information, and assisting with clerical duties within the office. A wide variety of tasks are available, including file management, organizing information packets for patients, marketing & computer skills and other patient care plan needs.
Fundraising: Fundraising Volunteers have a variety of opportunities to help our Hospice raise funds that allow the agency to provide our important programs and services to the community. Fundraising Volunteer opportunities include event planning, decorating, advertising, and ticket sales.
Medical Equipment: An Equipment Volunteer assists and maintains equipment that is needed in the patient's home. The volunteer may be asked to assist nursing staff to deliver and set up simple equipment in the home.
Bereavement Support: The hospice has a Bereavement Service which is a vital part of the hospice model. A volunteer may be asked to make telephone calls, participate in a group session, help with monthly mailings or just be a good listener to a bereaved person.
No One Dies Alone Program: A volunteer is trained to hold vigil in the hospital or skilled nursing setting with a dying patient who has no family members available. This can be a very rewarding experience.
