Share your time and friendship with a hospice patient

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NorthShore Hospice is seeking dedicated Patient Support Volunteers to help patients and families through their end-of-life journey. Hospice patients have a terminal diagnosis and a limited life expectancy, and they and their loved ones are often dealing with many emotional stressors while in the care of hospice.

A patient support volunteer can help in a few ways:
1. Volunteers can provide comfort, companionship and friendship to a patient living in a nursing facility or at home who is struggling with feelings of loneliness or a lack of socialization. These volunteers can provide a range of interventions depending on the patient and their diagnosis - from reading aloud, talking, or attending facility activities with the patient to simply listening to music, painting nails or holding a hand.
2. Volunteers can provide respite services for caregivers who are overwhelmed by the stress of caring for a loved one. Volunteers sit with a patient (sometimes doing the same activities as above) while the caregiver takes time to grocery shop, attend an appointment of their own, or just do some much-needed self care.
3. Volunteers can (if comfortable) transport patients and family members to appointments, run errands, or perform light housekeeping tasks.

No previous experience is necessary. To be a good hospice volunteer you need only to be dependable and punctual, flexible and patient, non-judgmental and friendly, a good listener and kind-hearted.

Qualifications:

• Volunteers must be 18 or older, and must be willing to commit to volunteering for 2-3 hours/week for a minimum of one full year.
• Volunteers must be willing to complete a health assessment that includes a physical, a blood screening for infectious disease and a Tb test, as well as an annual flu vaccine.
• Volunteers must have a social security number and complete paperwork for us to run a background check.
• Volunteers must be willing to complete our Volunteer Orientation process, which takes 10-16 hours depending on volunteer experience
• If a volunteer has had a loss of a close family member or friend, we ask that they wait 12 months before applying to volunteer with hospice.

This opportunity is wonderful for
- Those who have been in the healthcare or mental health field
- Veterans wanting to work with other veterans
- Retirees who enjoy socializing with folks who need company
- Those with registered therapy animals who would like to participate in our Canine Companion program
- Volunteers who speak a second language (Spanish & Russian are most needed, but any language is welcome!) and would like to support patients in their own language
- Those who have benefitted from hospice support (over a year ago) and would like to help others going through a similar experience

If this role sounds like a good fit for you, please get in touch to arrange an interview - we look forward to hearing from you!