Becoming a Hospice Volunteer
When I suggest to funeral service clients to consider becoming hospice volunteers, the question or concern I often hear is, “That’s getting a little too close to crossing the line, don’t you think?”. It’s often assumed that volunteering for hospice only involves sitting with the patient to provide companionship. While that is a meaningful volunteer experience, I can certainly see why it would be questionable for a funeral director to spend their limited free time in that manner.
When I became a volunteer for Hosparus, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of the wide range of volunteer opportunities available. There have been plenty of times when I was too exhausted to think about providing in-person companionship to a hospice patient. There have been other times when my energy had been through the roof, and I wanted to help out behind the scenes with medical supplies. Whether I’m working closely with team members who communicate with patients, I always find every opportunity rewarding.
The most common hospice volunteer opportunities that you may encounter include companion visits, administrative work, helping with bereavement meetings, and Veteran recognition visits. More unique opportunities may include bereavement kids camp assistant, writing thank you notes to donors, setting up and cleaning up after events, creating bears or quilts for patients, and photography for patients and families.
My absolute favorite hospice volunteer opportunity as been serving as an elf for the children’s holiday party. It’s so much fun and I love seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces (and parents too). I wrote more about those experiences in Engaging the Heart of Hospice. Being an elf is really fun and if you know me personally you know I love costumes. I actually have THREE elf costumes.
I encourage you to research hospice volunteer opportunities and complete the training. Regardless of how many hours you can commit at the moment, remember that the greatest gift you can give is your presence. If you have an apprentice or intern at the funeral home, I encourage you to incorporate hospice volunteer days into their schedule. Hospice volunteer training programs and opportunities will teach an intern how to handle various situations, communicate effectively with patients and families, and understand the stages of grief. These are invaluable experiences for for an intern’s professional journey in funeral service. The learning and growth that come from these experiences are truly priceless.
And for your viewing pleasure me as an elf at the last hospice kids party!