The volunteers are very special members of the care team at Maxcare Hospice. They’re individuals who have given up their time to care for patients and their family members during their time of need.
Who are Hospice Volunteers?
Hospice volunteers are people who have a special calling to help others or have experienced the death of a loved one during hospice. At Maxcare Hospice, our volunteers have a passion for helping others, and we provide them with the necessary training.
- The Role of a Hospice Volunteer. Hospice volunteers can have a variety of different roles that will change depending on the patient’s needs and what support the care team is looking for.
- Practical support. Volunteers will provide the care team with practical support to lighten their load. This can sometimes include running errands, assisting with patient grooming, changing bedding, and performing light housekeeping tasks as needed.
- Companionship. At Maxcare Hospice, our mission is to make sure that our patients never feel alone. Volunteers can be a source of companionship for our patients, whether it’s reading to them, watching TV together, going for walks, listening to them, or just sitting quietly with them. This is ideal for patients who rarely receive visitors.
- Administrative support. It’s not just patients who need help, but also the admin team. Volunteers can help out with administration tasks to ensure the hospice continues to run smoothly. This can include filing, data entry, answering phones, assisting with fundraising events, and providing general support where needed.
Roles Hospice Volunteers Cannot Complete
Because hospice volunteers are not medical professionals, they cannot be a replacement for the experienced hospice care team. This means they cannot do the following:
- Personal grooming that could injure the patient or break skin, like cutting hair or nails
- Administering medication and applying IVs
- Dressing wounds
- Operating medical equipment
- Taking vitals
- Providing mobility exercises like full-body massages
