A volunteer can be viewed as an extra
pair of hands. Volunteers provide another resource for the total team
effort that is invaluable in Hospice care. Someone who will take the
time to listen, to understand, and to care can be an integral part of
building a healthy environment around the seriously ill patient. Our
client service volunteers are here to serve those purposes.
The role of the volunteer is to be of
assistance to anyone who may need it…the client, their family or
another member of the care team. They are there to provide emotional
support, practical help, and companionship.
Volunteers provide client and family
support in ways and at times when professional teams would have been
unavailable, inappropriate, or inadequate.
The volunteer does not usually see the
client every day, so a certain freshness and vitality arrives with that
volunteer which can be a great support to the care providers who may be
continuously close to the patient.
As a non-medical member of
the team, a volunteer is in the unique position to serve in the role of
client advocate. Information which the client is unable to share with
the doctors, nurses, and/or family members due to their total dependence
on them for their physical well-being, is often accessible to
volunteers. The volunteer can help the client find non-threatening ways
to communicate needs or, if the client prefers, act as an intermediary
between client and caregiver.
Hospice
Palliative Care
What is a Client Service Volunteer?