Vigil Volunteer

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Heartland Hospice's Vigil Volunteer Program is designed to provide a compassionate, loving presence to hospice patients who are actively dying. As a patients begin to draw closer to death and make their final Transition, Vigil Volunteers comfort patients emotionally and spiritually, ensuring that they do not die alone. Vigil Volunteers receive specialized training to familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of approaching death and how to provide support to patients, in addition to loved ones and caregivers, if present at the time. Volunteers can sit with patients for varying lengths of time, including day, evening or overnight, as available.

Vigil Opportunities are available throughout Montgomery & Prince Georges' Counties and invite volunteers to offer the following in the way of presence and care:

~ reading poetry, prayers and devotions that have meaning for the patient

~ providing soothing music and peaceful sounds of nature through voice, instrument or electronic device

~ storytelling with family and loved ones present during vigil visit

~ ensuring patients are comfortable and pain-free

~ sitting quietly while holding a patient's hand


Please review our website for further details by following the link below. An application for volunteering can also be downloaded there:

https://www.heartlandhospice.com/find-an-agency/heartland-hospice-services-of-erie