11th Hour Vigil for the Terminally Ill

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A basic principle of hospice care is that no one should die alone without the supportive presence of loved one. The Eleventh hour volunteers are given tools to know how to keep vigil to provide a comforting presence needed by patients in their final hours of life.

Patients who have little or no family members nearby often find themselves isolated and alone during their last days. A trained volunteer can help fill the need for comfort and provide a healing touch in the last days or hours when a loved-one is not available or when family needs to step away and support themselves.

You will be trained on what happens to the body before he or she passes. Volunteers are scheduled in shifts, usually in 2-3 hour bocks of time, with the goal of providing a constant vigil, either with other volunteers, staff, family members or friends.

Here are the 7 things you can do as an 11th hour volunteer:

1. Being a calm presence during a potentially difficult time
2. Sitting with the patient and/or family
3. Talking softly or singing to the patient
4. Sharing a sacred silence
5. Holding hands and massaging hands
6. Praying, reading inspirational books
7. Honoring cultural and faith traditions of the patient

This volunteer gift allows the patient to transition form life to death a little easier

Please email janet.garza@ladiferenciahospice.com to set up and interview.
La Diferencia hospice adheres to all CDC, CMS and CHAP guidelines.
Not all volunteers need to be covid 19 vaccinated.