How to Become a Hospice Volunteer
Hospices are aimed at providing holistic care to individuals who are terminally ill. With human dignity, respect, and patient desires in the focus, hospices cater to their medical, social, psychological, and emotional needs. The care also covers the needs of the resident’s family and extends into the bereavement period after the ill person passes away.
Hospices widely welcome the assistance of volunteers. So if you have a passion for helping people and feel joy in serving others, you can find a hospice in your area and join their team.
Steps to Take
Basically, becoming a hospice volunteer is quite easy. If you are confident enough about your decision and are ready to take certain commitments as an integral part of a hospice team, you are only a few steps away from getting started:
- Decide on a time you’d like to donate to hospice care;
- Find the hospice organizations and agencies in your locality and compare them to find the one whose culture and approach will speak to you;
- Contact that organization and attend their orientations session;
- Complete the training to get the hang of the hospice rules, requirements, and working principles as well as to learn your responsibilities and duties;
- Pass a background check and health screening (if applicable);
- You are ready to delve into your volunteering experience and share your love and compassion with those who need it.
While it looks as simple as that, digging deeper into details won’t go amiss so that you understand all the ins and outs of the process.
Where to Start
If you are interested in volunteering, normally, you’d like to serve in a local hospice not far from your house or place of work. To find a hospice in your area, you can visit The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s website, check VolunteerMatch.org, or contact a Hospice Volunteer Association to connect you with a hospice in your locality.
Most likely than not, you’ll have a few facilities to choose from. To make up your mind about which of the available volunteering opportunities is right for you, it’s recommended that you
- Take a look at each hospice’s volunteer program usually accessible on their websites. Though having much in common, those programs might differ in minor aspects that will become decisive for you;
- Contact each hospice to talk to a volunteer coordinator. Ask them to tell you in more detail about their current needs and describe their expectations of volunteers to match them with your skills and interests. Besides, let them clarify the desired volunteer qualifications and any specific requirements for this position;
- Take your time to visit a few hospice facilities near you to compare the settings since volunteer hospice care can be provided in various settings including not only hospices but also nursing homes and hospitals.
Volunteer Opportunities
The most common opportunities available for hospice helpers include:
- Administrative work around the office;
- General assistance for patients;
- Household support for patients cared for at home;
- Respite care to give a break to caregivers who stay with a patient all the time;
- Transportation service to drive patients to medical appointments, social outings, shopping, and other events;
- End-of-life support or keeping a vigil;
- Bereavement support to help families cope with the loss.
Application Process
When applying for a hospice volunteer, you’ll be interviewed by the facility’s staff in your locality. You’ll be also asked to fill in a special application form covering the following information
- Why you want to be a hospice volunteer;
- How much time per day, week, or month you are ready to spend volunteering;
- Any palliative care experience you might have with your loved ones or friends before;
- Any specific skills or knowledge that might be of use in palliative care.
Requirements for Hospice Volunteers
Most often, each hospice has its own policy regarding who is entitled to perform volunteer functions. At the same time, there are more or less general requirements for volunteers hospices typically stick to:
- A helper should be 18 to 21 years of age, though there are facilities with programs for teens in place as well;
- A background check (normally at the facility’s expense);
- Some hospices also conduct criminal and credit checks (depending on the state);
- References from your family members and friends about your personal characteristics;
- Driver’s license;
- Passing a hospice training program.
Qualities a Hospice Volunteer Should Have
It’s worth noting that to be an effective hospice helper, it’s important to possess certain traits and qualities:
- Empathy and compassion to be able to empathize with patients and their families when they most need it;
- Good listening skills: Active listening is a vital skill to have as it enables assistants to understand and appropriately respond to the needs of the patients, their loved ones, and caregivers;
- Respect: An assistant should respect the patient’s beliefs, values, and culture and never judge or impose their own vision;
- Reliability: Residents and their relatives expect volunteers to come under schedule. Punctuality and reliability are crucial traits to have to build trust and rapport with the patient;
- Good communication skills: The ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, is vital for establishing and maintaining effective and trust-based relationships with patients and their families;
- Patience and flexibility to cope with any unpredictable and unexpected situations assistants might encounter while providing specialized care;
- Collaborative skill to effectively work as a part of a team embracing not only patients and their families but also healthcare professionals and other assistants.
Training
All potential helpers to join hospice teams are usually required to pass extensive internal training, which is needed to introduce them to work and prepare them for certain activities and responsibilities they’ll have. Depending on the future helper’s role in a facility and the overal organization’s approach, training programs vary. Some areas orientation sessions cover are
- Palliative care principles and concept;
- Hospice services provided;
- Individual patient’s needs;
- End-of-life emotional and psychological issues;
- General precautions to observe;
- Chronic and life-limiting diseases;
- Understanding grief and loss;
- Limitations and boundaries for the hospice personnel’s work with patients.
To Conclude
Volunteers play an important role in hospice care, hence, they are highly appreciated by care facilities. For the helpers, it’s a chance to realize their striving to help others and make a real difference in someone’s life while growing emotionally and professionally.