Volunteering with Harbor Light Hospice is just like being a good neighbor. If one of your neighbors was ill, you would go visit. You might just sit and talk, or you might play cards, or watch TV, or discuss the day’s current events. That’s exactly what it is like to be a hospice volunteer.
Volunteers are an essential part of the team caring for the hospice patients and their families. Volunteers are trained based on their interests and experiences, and once trained, they can choose the areas in which they wish to participate. Types of Volunteers:
Direct Patient Care
These Volunteers provide emotional support and companionship to hospice patients and their families. Visits are made to the patient’s location (i.e. nursing home, extended care facility, or private home) and time is spent interacting with the patient. You might just sit and talk, or play cards, or watch a favorite TV program, or talk about current events. Visits usually last from one to four hours depending on the type of volunteering. Volunteers do not provide any medical or hands on care.
Office Volunteer
These Volunteers provide assistance in the hospice office. They do not come in direct contact with hospice patients. They do interact with the hospice staff and provide assistance with a variety of office tasks.
Complimentary Therapies
Are you a Certified Massage Therapist who wants to share your talents with those who could use some comfort? These qualified volunteers provide the patient comfort using reiki, massage, or other therapies, for pain and relaxation.
Pet Team Program
This is a very popular volunteer activity. The pet owner and their certified pet(s) (dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, etc.) visit hospice patients in nursing home and extended care facilities on a regular basis. Visits may also be made to private homes. Hospice patients and other residents are allowed to touch and pet the animals.
Music Volunteer
These Volunteers may be individuals who play the harp, guitar, mandolin, or any other instrument that brings ease. The peaceful time that a musician brings while playing music to a patient one on one is a huge opportunity for comfort. In addition, music is a popular and much appreciated activity in a nursing home/extended care facility setting.
Is training required? Yes, it is. The length of training will depend on the type of volunteering you are interested in doing. We will be happy to give you complete details when you contact us.
One of life’s greatest rules – you cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without also brightening your own!
