Hospice Companionship Volunteer

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Hospice Companionship Volunteers provide a supportive presence and social engagement to patients living with a terminal illness. Often these illnesses severely limit a person's ability to see friends, family, or to even engage those around them in ways more able persons can take for granted. Even those living in group settings, like nursing homes and assisted living facilities, can find themselves socially isolated with no one to talk to for long stretches of time.

Our Companionship Volunteers go out into the community to bring a caring human presence back into the lives of those who are lonely and cut off from others because of their physical condition. Volunteer activities can range from simple conversation, to reading aloud, playing card or board games, going with a patient to community activities if in a communal environment, or just sitting at bedside to provide a caring presence and so much more.

Companionship Volunteers might also go to the homes of patients to provide an extra set of eyes on a patient so that their caregiver can get some time for self care, like getting groceries, seeing their own doctor, or even just taking a nap without worrying that their loved one is alone.

Our volunteers receive extensive training to be able to support hospice patients and their caregivers so they are prepared to give the best support possible, and to know what to do and who to call when a patient needs help. Companionship Volunteers DO NOT provide hands on hygiene or medical care to patients.