Friends of Hospice- Hospice Patient Companion

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LIFE COMPANION

A common thread essential to humans throughout our lives is companionship. Companionship is the one "ask" people utilizing hospice care mention they would like to have more of.

As a Life Companion, you appreciate that a person in hospice wants to continue to live a wholehearted life and would benefit from the gift of camaraderie! For a few hours each week, you will get to spend quality time with a Uni Care Hospice patient currently living in an Assisted Living, Memory Care, or Skilled Nursing Facility, who might not otherwise have a friend visit often.

Life Companions might join the patient to do an activity hosted by the facility, listen to their favorite music, play a card or board game, take a stroll with them down memory lane, and most importantly, be there to share the experience of life!

Supervising Staff: Samantha Campolong, Volunteer Coordinator

Time Commitment:

• This is an ongoing (6+ month), weekly or bi-weekly commitment.
• One shift per week, multiple shifts per week, or bi-weekly shifts per month (twice per month).
• One to 2 hour shifts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide companionship to a person in hospice care.
• Be creative and open to learning.
• Listen and observe attentively to get to know the person you are visiting.
• Share mutual interests, conversation, and mealtimes with patient.
• Collaborate with hospice staff and interdisciplinary team for training, mentoring, and to provide continuity of service to the patient.
• Practice and promote safety (patient and caregiver, personal, environmental) while performing job duties.
• Skilled at working independently.
• Respectful of patient’s residence, surroundings, and personal property.
• Follow confidentiality requirements including HIPAA standards.
• Document visit details accurately and within 24 hours using HospiceMD.

Qualifications:

• Commit to the time for orientation and the onboarding process.
• Pass background check.
• Reliable and prompt.
• Ability to move freely and able to lift 25 lbs (accommodations made for those who cannot lift).
• Valid CA driver’s license and clean DMV driving record.
• Proof of automobile insurance.
• Demonstrate poise, tact, diplomacy, patience, and empathy when working with anyone you come in contact with while volunteering.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to easily work with a diverse population.
• Work within boundaries and best practices.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including vocabulary, grammar and spelling.
• Self-starter able to work with minimal supervision, and as an integral team member.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple, competing tasks and requests.
• Comfortable with computer applications (e.g., MS Office; Internet searches).

Training and Support:

• Volunteer Services provides hospice-focused orientation/onboarding, training, and continued in-service training.
• Ongoing oversight from supervising staff to provide direction, training and feedback on specific program and department activities, procedures, priorities, performance, and updates.
• HospiceMD: Software program to record your volunteer activity.

Screening Requirements:

• Interview with volunteer coordinator.

• Background check.

• Fulfill orientation and onboarding.

Benefits:

• Engage with and impact your community in a hopeful way, to make a difference.
• See the positive results of your contribution of time and talents.
• Productive way to utilize your free time.
• Resume building experience and networking opportunities.

For more information please contact:

Samantha Campolong, Volunteer Coordinator

(760) 710-7861 (Call or Text)

volunteer.coordinator.sd@unicare247.com