If you’re looking for ways to give back, consider becoming a hospice volunteer. Hospice volunteers can help provide comfort and companionship to patients on hospice and their families. When you volunteer, you can bring your unique talents to help others.
Is Hospice Volunteering Right For Me?
Hospice volunteering can be incredibly fulfilling, but it can be taxing as well. Being a volunteer means becoming friends with people who are going to die and their loved ones who will be going through a grieving process. You must be able to hold a supportive role for those around you and be responsive to the needs of the patient, their family, and the hospice team caring for them. You should also know your strengths and limits and be comfortable saying no.
The qualities of a successful volunteer include:
- dependability
- compassion
- patience
- active listener
- comfortable with silence
- non-judgemental
- respectful
Is Training Available?
Yes. All of our volunteers receive free training classes before their first assignment. Your training will include our hospice philosophy and how to care for people who are terminally ill. It also includes grief and loss education and health and safety precautions. We will also give you more information about what kinds of volunteering opportunities are available. We have several categories of volunteers you could be assigned to:
- administrative duties
- direct patient care
- hair care
- music enrichment
- pet socialization and companionship
- spiritual care
- personal care duties
- and more!
When you get an assignment, you will become part of the hospice team for that person. You’ll work as part of their clinical team of doctors, nurses, aides, chaplains, and social workers. Hospice volunteers can provide comfort and companionship to people and their families. Your time is an incredible gift to give. For more information, check out our page on volunteering, or contact us for more information.