Volunteers

Volunteers

Volunteers are available for a multitude of tasks in order to improve the experience of the patient.

Understanding Hospice Volunteering

Those who volunteer to help with hospice care have an incredible impact on the lives of the patients and families they serve and support. Volunteers give of their time and have a genuine desire to provide comfort, peace and care to families and caregivers during an individual’s end of life transition.

As part of an interdisciplinary care team, the goal of hospice volunteers is to provide a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and act in a role that has been laid out for them by the team with the patient’s and the family’s best wishes in mind.

Hospice Organizations Need Volunteers

Hospice volunteers are such a valuable and crucial part of the care team. They are simply members of the community who have stepped up to offer their service out of a wholehearted desire to help and give back. They often connect with patients on a deep and meaningful level and work to provide the team with valuable insights that can in turn help them to continue making an impact on the quality of care they provide to the patient and family.

In addition, hospice programs that are Medicare-certified are mandated by the federal government to make hospice volunteers an integrative part of administrative or patient services.

Training as a Hospice Volunteer

With this in mind, before becoming volunteers, these individuals are often given training that can better prepare them for the services they may perform as part of a True Care Hospice team. Generally speaking, this can include:

• Understanding the hospice’s care philosophy
• Understanding the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of a patient and their family during the transition to end-of-life care
• Understanding what services the hospice facility offers
• Having a clearer idea of patient privacy
• How to help patients, families and friends with grief, bereavement and loss
• How to better communicate with the patient, their family, friends and other caregivers

Who Makes a Great Hospice Volunteer?

Every hospice volunteer brings with them a unique perspective based on their own personality and life experience. Perhaps most importantly, these individuals are great listeners and are comfortable with silence. They understand personal limits and have a respectful and open mind to other cultures, ways of life and religions. Beyond that, they are caring, compassionate and understanding. They know their role is one that is vital for the well-being of others, and they take on this role gladly.

Hospice volunteers can work directly with patients such as preparing meals, providing transportation, playing music or simply sitting with patients and providing companionship. Those who would rather not work with patients directly can help the hospice service in other ways, by helping to prepare and setup for community events, help with data entry and clerical work or help with community outreach.

Related Information:  Routine Visits | Bereavement Service