In-Home Care: The Role of the Hospice Volunteer

Hospice volunteers are an important part of the hospice care team. Volunteers bring their unique talents and skills to assist hospice organizations in providing exceptional in home care to patients and their families.

So what exactly do hospice volunteers do?

Volunteers work with hospice organizations in many different capacities. Most fall in to one of two categories: direct care and indirect care.

• Direct care volunteers visit hospice patients wherever they call home. These volunteers spend time with patients – talking, reading, playing a game, just being a quiet presence, anything that is meaningful to the patient at that time. Direct care volunteers offer their compassion and kindness to patients and families when they need it most, and they share important insight with the clinical team to help ensure patients’ needs are met. At Elara Caring, direct care volunteers also participate in veteran recognition, special events, pet therapy (with their certified pet therapy animal) and our legacy program. Our direct care volunteers are now able to visit patients while following their local COVID-19 protocol and Elara Caring’s safety measures.
• Indirect care volunteers spend their time assisting with clerical duties and general office tasks. They help with mailings, data entry, filing, event planning and other special projects. By sharing their time and skills, indirect care volunteers provide significant support to our administrative staff.

If you have a caring heart and a little extra time, consider becoming a hospice volunteer. Whether you work directly with patients or assist in an office or remote setting, you will make a positive impact on the in home hospice care provided to patients and their families.

Learn more about Elara Caring’s hospice volunteer program and the many opportunities available and apply online today.