Help is needed throughout Oneida, Herkimer, and Eastern Madison counties at times and locations convenient to you.

What do Hospice & Palliative Care volunteers do?
Volunteers choose assignments that best suit their time, skills and interests at comfortable travel distances from their home. Types of volunteer activities include:

• Patient/Family Support
• Bereavement Support
• Office Assistance
• Fundraising
• Professional Volunteers (i.e. Chaplain, LMT, Cosmetologist, Harpist, Nurse)
• Community Outreach
• Nursing Home Patient/Family Support

We are interested in investigating ways to utilize your special skills or talents.

Do I need any special skills or education?
Volunteer work at Hospice & Palliative Care is one of the best jobs anyone can do. It is not about how old you are, your educational background or what you have or don't have. We provide the training you need; you provide yourself and your time.  Persons interested in volunteering must wait at least a full year after a significant loss in order to focus on their own healing.

Do volunteers find the work depressing?
It is not depressing, it is deeply meaningful and personally rewarding to be trusted by those we serve. Hospice & Palliative Care volunteers have jobs that are full of joy and laughter, hope and sharing. Our gift of presence is the greatest gift we can give to another.

What type of training is available?
A comprehensive training and personal enrichment course is offered for all volunteers. The number of classes you attend is determined by your choice of volunteer opportunities. To provide you with the necessary understanding and skills, the training course includes the following subjects:

• An overview of Hospice and Palliative philosophies
  and a brief history of Hospice & Palliative Care
• The volunteer's role, patient confidentiality, and volunteer requirements
• How to provide support to patient and families
• The emotional, spiritual, and cultural issues relating to death and dying
• Effective listening and communication skills
• How to care for yourselves while caring for others
• Coping with grief and bereavement
• And more!

Opportunities

Patient/Family and Nursing Home Support Volunteers - Provide practical and emotional support to hospice patients and families in their own homes, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities.

Personal Care Volunteers - These volunteers provide more personal care to patients.

Bereavement Volunteers - Provide support to individuals who have lost a family member or friend by telephoning the bereaved on a regular basis, reminding the bereaved of memorial services and bereavement support meetings. They also assist with memorial services and support groups.

Office Volunteers - Provide administrative support to the Hospice staff. Filing, computer data entry, assembling information packets, telephone support, and reception work are examples of the types of work done by office volunteers. The commitment is usually one to four mornings or afternoons per month. 

Community Outreach Volunteers - Host health fairs and community events representing Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. Speak to civic and community groups about hospice programs and services.

Special Events Volunteers - Assist with community programs and events that raise funds and community awareness of Hospice.

Specialized training is offered for all volunteer opportunities.