Volunteering with Hospice of Illinois

• Why volunteer with Hospice of Illinois
• The attributes of the ideal hospice volunteer
• Training for hospice volunteers
• Duties performed by hospice volunteers
• Hospice volunteering - questions & answers
• Contact the hospice volunteering coordinator

Why volunteer with Hospice of Illinois

There’s a lot to be gained from being a hospice volunteer. For example…

Satisfaction
from making a difference in peoples lives, and receiving their gratitude in return.

Greater self-knowledge
from insights gained from relationships with patients and their families - and from training provided by Hospice of Illinois.

Spiritual growth
from supporting a person through the process of dying. This can help heighten a volunteer’s own sense of spiritual values. Volunteers often become more focused on the parts of life that matter most.

Back to top

The attributes of the ideal hospice volunteer

One thing all hospice volunteers have in common is a true desire to help. It’s important for volunteers to be:

Caring
Volunteers focus on the needs of patients and family members, and how to best meet them.

Emotionally mature
Working as a hospice volunteer can be an intense experience. Volunteers must be emotionally up to the task.

Comfortable talking about death and dying
Hospice workers approach death and dying in an open, direct, practical yet tender and compassionate way. This can help patients face the emotional, spiritual and financial preparations they need to make.

Committed
Volunteers are as dedicated to their work as other healthcare professionals.

Back to top

Training for hospice volunteers

Volunteers are thoroughly trained. Training is a minimum of 20 hours. Training covers:

The goals and philosophy of hospice care
All volunteers are taught the hospice approach to death and dying and how to put those ideas into practice.

The psychological impact of death
Volunteers are more effective when they understand what patients and loved ones are going through.

Patient care

Training addresses a wide range of patient needs, including:

• physical care
• emotional support
• emergency procedures
• procedures to follow after a patient dies
• universal precautions (to protect against infection)

Terminal illness
Volunteers get an overview of some of the most common terminal illnesses. This helps them understand the disease process and its effect on the patient.

Communication skills
Volunteers learn how to listen effectively, which may be the most important service a volunteer can provide. Volunteers also learn to talk openly about issues related to death and dying.

Patient and family rights
Volunteers learn the importance of respecting patient and family rights (including confidentiality).

Setting boundaries
If the volunteer becomes too involved in the life of the patient, he/she may lose the advantage of a more objective perspective.

Back to top

Duties performed by hospice volunteers

Volunteers serve in many different ways. Duties vary, but volunteers are counted on to:

Do chores
This helps take pressure off family members. Chores could be anything from walking the dog, raking leaves, to helping with housekeeping or baby-sitting.

Run errands
Picking up medical supplies to grocery shopping.

Listen to concerns
Volunteers try to help patients find their own answers to important questions.

Be a support person
Volunteers are often the ones patients and family members turn to for comfort, help and information.

Provide companionship
The Volunteers presence can be extremely comforting to the patient, even if the volunteer only sits quietly in the room. Volunteers often read to patients or suggest activities they can do together. Family members may use this time for a much needed respite.

Office volunteers
Volunteers can help the office staff out by answering phones, sending out mailings, make admission packets, etc.

It's those little things volunteers do that make hospice care a positive experience.

Back to top

Hospice Volunteering - Questions & Answers

How much time is a volunteer expected to give?
It varies. In most cases volunteers give at least 3 hours a week.

Is there a risk of burnout?
Burnout is a risk for anyone who works with dying patients. The hospice team is very aware of this risk and work to see that volunteers don't take on more than they can handle.

Would I work with more than one family at a time?
Volunteers who work in a patients’ home may have only one assignment at a time. Volunteers in a nursing home may see more than one patient at a time.

Do volunteers get assignments right away after the death of a patient?
The death of a patient can be hard on the volunteer too. If a volunteer has formed an attachment to a patient, he/she will be encouraged, perhaps even required to take some time off before starting a new assignment.

Where do volunteers go for support?
Most hospices run support groups for their volunteers. Support can also come from friends, counselors and clergy.

Do volunteers work a lot on their own?
The Volunteer Coordinator keeps in close contact with each volunteer. In most cases, they talk at least once a week. Volunteers may also communicate with the Chaplain, social worker and nurse.

How do I become a hospice volunteer?
It’s a lot like applying for any job. An interview is the first step. You will need to meet the Volunteer Coordinator. He or she will want to know:

• Why you want to be a volunteer
• Your interests (finding a good match with patients is important)
• What times are you available
• Your experience with the dying (if you’ve recently lost a loved one, you may be encouraged to wait a while before volunteering)

Training comes NEXT.

Back to top

To find out if volunteering is right for you, contact:

Char Meyer
Hospice of Illinois Volunteer Coordinator
5061 North Pulaski Road
Suite 200
Chicago, IL 60630

(773)-539-3554

Contact Us

Back to top