How You Can Be of Service as a Hospice Volunteer During the Holidays

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How can you help your patients during the holidays?

We know how important it is to include patients in safe and fun holiday activities. But we also understand that some patients need a little extra help to enjoy the holidays and fully participate in all the fun this season has to offer.

Volunteers can help Hospice patients by d ecorating the patients room, making a memory ornaments, singing or listening to music, watching holiday movies, writing holiday cards, decorating cookies or wraping gifts together.

Hospice volunteers are compassionate individuals who provide comfort and support to patients facing a life-limiting illness. Volunteers offer specialized skills and support outside of the clinical team.

There is no one-size-fits-all to what makes a hospice volunteer. Some volunteers participate because they want to give back to the community or they might have a special talent that brings joy to others. However, each volunteer makes a significant impact on patients and their families.

Volunteers ensure that the patient and family’s needs are met in a variety of ways. This can be through companionship, assisting with everyday tasks or providing respite time to a patient’s caregivers. Hospice volunteers can also make an impact by assisting the hospice agency with administrative duties.

This can look like:

• Sitting with a patient, socializing and providing a listening ear
• Helping with general office support (filing, shredding, etc.)
• Running errands for patients and families
• Writing a journal or life story with patients as a memento for the family
• Playing games, reading or listening to music with patients
• Walking or caring for family pets
• Assisting with light house cleaning
• Providing bereavement support for family members

Hospice volunteers have the unique opportunity to provide a type of care that is companionship-based. This non-clinical support oftentimes helps patients remain in high spirits. It might even give them or their loved ones a break from thinking about their illness.

We would love to have you join the team, please reach out us and the volunteer coordinator to schedule a interview to learn more.