Be a Hospice Volunteer!

The Patient & Family Support Volunteer  |  The Bereavement Volunteer  |  The Office Volunteer
The Thrift Shop Volunteer  |  Volunteer Training Schedule  |  Volunteer Opportunities

The Patient & Family Support Volunteer

• provides practical help and emotional support to terminally ill patients and their families, making regular home visits to offer friendship and diversion, to serve as a willing and sensitive listener, to facilitate communication between the patient, the patient's family, friends and other caregivers. Volunteers may also visit patients in a care facility.
• provides respite for the caregiver, assists the family with errands, household chores, telephone calls, etc.

• You become part of a very special group of people.
• You receive in-depth training and the full support of your supervisors and other team members.
• You meet, and are genuinely helpful to many wonderful people.
• You learn about yourself, about life and death, living and dying.

"Hospice affirms life. Hospice exists to provide support and care for persons in the last phases of incurable disease so that they might live as fully and as comfortably as possible. Hospice recognizes dying as a normal process whether or not resulting from disease. Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice exists in the hope and belief that, through appropriate care and the promotion of a caring community sensitive to their needs, patients and families may attain a degree of mental and spiritual preparation for death that is satisfactory to them."

- taken from National Hospice Organization Standards of a Hospice Program of Care

• A desire to help and time to give
• Compassion and kindness
• Steadiness, calmness
• Emotional maturity
• A sense of humor
• A reverence for life
• A respect for differences and diversity
• Ability to listen, listen, and listen
• A non-judgmental attitude
• Commitment to learning and growing
• Good habits of self-care
• Willingness to ask for help
• Willingness to accept direction
• Commitment to Hospice philosophy

The Hospice Patient and Family Support Volunteer is a member of the Hospice Team, which includes the physician, the nurse, the social worker, the home health aide, the family, the clergy, etc.

Patient and Family Support Volunteers must complete an initial training program of approximately 21 hours. Training covers the physical, psychological, emotional, financial, spiritual, and social concerns of the patient and family. Training is provided by professionals and by experienced Hospice personnel. Following training, volunteers meet twice monthly for mutual support and ongoing training.

Patient and Family Support Volunteers must be willing and able to devote at least two to four hours per week. You must have your own transportation and satisfactory auto liability insurance.

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The Bereavement Volunteer

Bereavement volunteers work with the volunteer bereavement team, under the supervision of the Bereavement Coordinator, in conducting the Bereavement Support Groups, Grief Education programs, and, in making home visits and telephone calls to bereaved people. Hospice of Morongo Basin sponsors the Morongo Basin Chapter of The Compassionate Friends (for bereaved parents).

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The Office Volunteer

Office volunteers do general office work in the Hospice office. Tasks include basic clerical work, letter-writing, filing, handling requests for information and referral, work on the Macintosh computer, reception, telephoning, and preparing bulk rate mailings. Training is provided, but volunteers must already have good written and oral communications skills. Office volunteers must have completed the intial Hospice Volunteer Training Program.

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The Thrift Shop Volunteer

Sorting Pricing Repairing Sales Pick-Up & Delivery Cash Register Washing & Mending Merchandising

Working in the Thrift Shop is Fun! And best of all is knowing that your work supports the work of the Patient Care and Bereavement Volunteers who provide loving support and care to our patients and their families and to bereaved persons. Call our Executive Director, Laura Whetstone, at 366-1308 for information about volunteering in the Thrift Shop. The Hospice Volunteer Training is not required for Thrift Shop Volunteers.

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Patient/Family Support Volunteer Training Schedule for 2009

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Volunteer Opportunities

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