If the COVID-19 global pandemic has taught us one thing, it is the value of frontline healthcare workers. Though all of the praise that doctors and nurses get is well-deserved, there is a group of frontline workers that choose to give in the shadows: hospice and palliative care volunteers.
What Roles do Volunteers Play in Hospice Care?
Hospice and palliative care volunteers play an absolutely vital role. They help keep patients company when their family and friends can’t be there. By doing so, hospice volunteers often connect with patients on a deep and personal level. This connection can do wonders when it comes to ensuring patients don’t feel like they are living out their last days alone. These connections also prove valuable for the patient’s care because the volunteer can provide valuable insights into the patient to their hospice care team.
In addition to spending quality time with hospice care patients, volunteers can also help patients with tasks they may no longer be able to do for themselves, including:
- Grocery shopping
- Preparing meals
- Helping with chores
- Taking the patient to appointments
- Helping the patient’s caregiver with their errands and other daily tasks
- Informing hospice staff about the patients’ needs
Hospice care volunteers also help hospice organizations with administrative tasks, including:
- Helping prepare mailings and leaflets
- Answering phone calls
- Helping with data entry
- Other clerical duties
People with and without prior experience working in an office can become administrative volunteers for hospice and palliative care. The most important thing is that a volunteer is excited about helping the hospice care organization.
As you can likely tell by now, volunteers help hospice organizations provide a high level of patient care and are a crucial part of hospice and palliative care organizations’ operations. Hospice volunteers are compassionate people who help make the world a better place by generously giving up their time to patients so they can fully enjoy their final days.