Volunteer
Volunteers bring comfort to patients and their families.
Who Are VNA Volunteers?
VNA volunteers represent a range of ages and come from fields such as education, nursing, business, engineering, and administration. They all share a passionate commitment to perform meaningful work in a variety of ways, supporting hospice patients and their families, or performing office/special project work.
How Do VNA Volunteers Serve?
Patient and Family Support
- Provide companionship to hospice patients
- Offer relief to caregivers
- Pick up prescriptions, groceries, etc.
- Facilitate individual or group grief support
- Write up short memoirs and letters to loved ones
- Offer Reiki, music and pet therapy (must be certified)
- Sit vigil with patients during their final hours
- Visit veterans and help with life review
- Sing with the choir at nursing homes
Administrative/Indirect Support
- File and scan documents
- Sew and create items to enhance patient care
- Perform data entry; help with the hospice library
- Assist with mailings and other office tasks
- Photograph hospice events
What Kind of Training is Provided?
Our goal is to equip new volunteers with the training they need to be comfortable with their assignments. The 20-hour volunteer training covers:
- Hospice Goals, Services and Philosophy
- Roles of Hospice Team Members
- Death & Dying, Family Dynamics
- Boundaries and Self-Care
- Confidentiality
- Spirituality
- Communication
- Grief and Bereavement
- Legal Aspects of End of Life
The next VNA new volunteer training will begin in January/February 2025.
Applicants will receive additional information after the new year.
How Do I Apply to Become a VNA Volunteer?
Applicants must complete:
- Satisfactory medical history screening including a 2-step Mantoux TB Screening
- 20-hour new volunteer training
- 6-hour online dementia training modules
- Post-training paperwork and shadowing session
VNA volunteers typically contribute 4-8 hours/month.
During flu season, documentation of flu vaccine or approved medical or religious exemption must be provided.
Questions? Contact Ashley Springman, VNA Volunteer Coordinator, to learn more.
Here’s What Our Volunteers Say About Their Work
“For those who have not been involved in hospice, I think they focus on the dying part and don’t realize how much joy, happiness, and life are still present at this “end of life” stage. We all have our reasons for volunteering for hospice, but let me tell you why I do it. I do it for the gentleman whose eyes light up and a smile comes across his face as I hand him a couple of scratch tickets. He always had the hope of winning the Big One!!...”
Carol Richards, Nursing Home Patient Visitor, Angel Food to Go, Home Patient Companion
“Like many volunteers we have lost our loved one to a variety of illnesses. It is a wonderful way to offer help and support in an array of projects. In my role I offer support to the VNA Chaplain’s Volunteer Coordinator and a variety of tasks. The VNA staff is a dedicated and positive caring group of employees who always appreciate any time and effort we volunteers offer.”
Pat Berube, Admin Support, Guild and Special Events
“Through VNA I have found a way to do what my heart desires; help those in difficult places at difficult times, and really make a difference."
Sundy Clark, Vigil Team
“Becoming a VNA hospice volunteer is one of the best things I have done. I've met many wonderful people -both patients and fellow volunteers. Whether it is sitting vigil, visiting a home patient or working with grief, you feel that maybe you've made a difference in someone's life and that's a good thing."
Roby Robitaille, Bereavement Group Facilitator, Grief Companion, Vigil Team
“As a VNA Hospice Volunteer, the opportunity to interact with the diverse, beautiful patients to whom I've been assigned, has brought with it many touching and growing experiences. And I believe one would be hard pressed to find a more incredible group of volunteers to work alongside with!”
Joyce Robitaille, Hearts and Harmony Choir, Life’s Journey, Vigil Team
“Being a VNA hospice volunteer is the only volunteer activity I would not give up. The variety of volunteer activities gives me a chance to be creative, and the staff members are great about listening to new ideas. Most of all, I love to interact with families and patients heart-to-heart when they need us most.”
Gail Cherochak, Life’s Journey, Knitting/Sewing Team, Grief Companion
"Being a Hospice Volunteer means having the Joy of Giving all year. It is sometimes hard to say "goodbye" to some of the patients with whom I have shared stories of life; but what a joy it is to be able to sit and share those stories! And it isn't just the patients I've come to know through Hospice. I have been able to give the gift of time to family members who have given so much to their loved ones and just need a short break. Hospice truly is a gift I give to myself."
Kathy Holt, Home Patient Companion, Volunteer Newsletter Editor, Handcrafted Items Volunteer
“If you’ve experienced any death of a family member or loved one, you know that the experience is at the least challenging. I hope that my contribution through several areas in hospice has made a difference for all those involved. As a vigil volunteer, I am on call to sit with a patient near death whose family cannot be at their side. I sing with the Hearts in Harmony Choir which brings comfort to those we sing for and treasures for ourselves. When called on to help a family in the stress of end of life care, I seek to bring comfort through a friendly visit or delivery of a needed supply or prescription.”
