Volunteer Support

Hospice Volunteers are persons from the community who give of their time and talents to help Hospice patients and families.  Patient Care Volunteers have gone through specialized training and have been extensively selected for their roles as an integral part of the Hospice Team.  The most significant role of a volunteer is to be a supportive listener, assisting patients and families to cope with and to adjust to terminal illness.  Volunteers work under the supervision of the Volunteer Coordinator.  The Volunteer Coordinator will speak with you to help you identify ways in which a volunteer might help to meet those needs.

Hospice Volunteers assist in the following ways:

• Stay with the patient allowing the caregiver to run errands or rest.
• Run errands for the caregiver who cannot or does not wish to leave the patient.
• Transport patients to and from physicians’ visits providing their automobile liability insurance allows.
• Read to the patient, assist with letter-writing, etc.
• Assist the patient with dressing.
• Perform simple homemaking chores if requested.
• Assist the patient with the urinal or bedpan.
• Be a companion to the patient and caregiver by providing emotional support.