Hospice Volunteer Opportunities

'You matter because you are. You matter to the last moment of your life,
and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but also to
live until you die.'
Dame Cicely Saunders, M.D. Founder of the Modern Hospice Movement

This quote expresses the true meaning of Hospice. We at Hospice of South Texas cannot hope to carry out this philosophy without the valuable contributions of dedicated hospice volunteers.

As a hospice volunteer, you will be in a unique position to provide an extra dimension of timely and comforting support (directly or indirectly) to dying patients and their families and/or to walk beside family members in their grief. By finding it in your heart to make this wonderful contribution during the part of life called dying, you are honoring life itself and hepling to make the loving part of hospice care visible and tangible.

Hospice of South Texas offers varied opportunities for you to volunteer your time and talents. Whether you become involved in direct patient companionship, bereavement support, or one of the many indirect support services at Hospice, you will be an important and valued part of our organization and the services we provide.

Hospice volunteers can choose the type of work they like to do:

Patient/Family Companionship

Working as a hospice team member, you will help patients and caregivers to maintain a sense of normalcy and quality of life. Comforting activities may include: assisting with life review, reading to the patient, giving foot, back and hand rubs, running errands, preparing or bringing simple meals, light housekeeping, offering 'time-out' for caregivers, praying (the Rosary, for example) when asked, feeding patients in the Nursing Home (must be inserviced), playing dominoes or cards, helping with letter writing, and more.

Special Patient Related Projects

You may provide assistance with special needs of patients and families by making minor home repairs, wheel chair ramp construction, light sewing, barbering & hair styling (must be licensed), running errands (such as grocery shopping), assisting in the office with gifts for patients, knitting or crocheting prayer shawls for patients, massage therapy (must be registered), picking up and sorting food boxes from the food bank, delivering food boxes, fans, supplies (not drugs), flowers, meals, gift baskets to patients' homes, doing occasional yard work, witnessing the signing of documents, providing one time relief for caregivers, singing to patients, and more.

Bereavement Support

You may befriend the survivors and offer support to them in the months following the death of their loved ones. From attending the funeral to occasional cards, phone visits, and planned outings, you'll walk beside them, helping to bring meaning back into their lives. You'll learn to listen to their pain and assure them that their feelings are normal and necessary in the grief process. You may send mailings of materials on grief, help with our Services of Remembrance and grief support workshops, encourage the bereaved to attend, and more.

Fundraising/Outreach Services

These activities are for those of you who prefer to help the patients and families on Hospice of South Texas without direct contact with patients. You might give presentations on hospice topics, or help with agency mailings, filing, data entry, receptionist duties, raising funds, doing handy man tasks in the offices, and more, promoting and actively participating in support of Hospice of South Texas.

Volunteer Training

A one time Orientation is required for volunteers who will have no (or minimal) direct contact with patients and families on hospice services.
A 30-hour Volunteer Training Course is required for those volunteers who would like to work directly with patients and their families (and is highly recommended for all volunteers). The Training is offered several times a year. The course is filled with valuable information, which can be used in your work as a hospice volunteer as well as in your personal life. The training sessions are conducted by staff , hospice volunteers, and professionals from the communities we serve.

If you are a caring person with a desire to be of service to those who are dying and/or their loved ones, you're just the person we need as a Hospice of South Texas Volunteer. With a commitment of just three hours a week or more, you will gain invaluable rewards knowing that what you are doing is making a difference for people going through one of life's most difficult experiences.

The Volunteer Training Course addresses:

• Hospice philosophy of care and the team concept.
• Responsibilities and duties of hospice volunteers and other team members.
• Respecting diverse cultural/religious traditions, rituals and memorials.
• Feelings and behaviors associated with dying and grieving processes.
• Communication skill building (listening, supporting).
• Signs and symptoms of Death & Dying.
• The power of presence.
• Procedures for documentation and contact with team members.
• Safety procedures.
• Guidelines For Hospice Spiritual Care.

Begin a profoundly fulfilling chapter in your life!

Being a Hospice Volunteer can add meaning to your life and offer:

• Satisfaction - from making a meaningful difference in people's lives.
• Greater Self-knowledge - from insights gained from relationships with patients and their families and from training provided by Hospice of South Texas.
• Spiritual Growth - from supporting a person through the process of dying. This experience can clarify your values, helping you to focus on aspects of life that matter most.

How To Become A Hospice Volunteer:

Call Hospice of South Texas at 1 800 874-6908 or 572-4300 and talk with the Director of Volunteer Services, Sandra Ryan, or write to her at Hospice of South Texas, 605 E. Locust, Victoria, Texas 77901, or send an e-mail to Director of Volunteer Services