Patient & Family Support
By joining our volunteer family, you will experience many ways to give that are both meaningful and enjoyable!
Please read below to find a volunteer position to match your interests.
Patient and Family Support Volunteers
As a Patient and Family Support Volunteer, you will fill an important role on one of our Hospice Comfort Teams. Your presence will bring comfort and compassion to a terminally-ill patient and their caregivers in the patient’s home or in a care facility. Some of the things you may be asked to do include offering companionship, providing relief time for caregivers, helping with errands, transportation to appointments or being a vigil presence for dying patients. In addition, certified complementary care volunteers, such as Reiki practitioners, can use their skills to nurture the physical and emotional well-being of patients. Previous experience with chronic illness, cancer patients or geriatric care is required for certified complementary volunteers.
Many of our volunteers find their lives enriched not only by the gift of service, but also by connecting with fellow human beings confronting end-of-life.
“I have found it deeply gratifying to have been a Patient Care Volunteer with this organization since 1987. At that time I thought my preparation for the role was thorough; and since then, regular in-service trainings have ensured that my knowledge and skills are up-to-date. Not only have there been advances in end-of-life care, but options available to Volunteers have expanded. It has been a privilege to be affiliated with By the Bay Health, as a recognized and respected member of the team. From gratitude expressed by families and sometimes patients, themselves, I know that I am appreciated. My life has been immeasurably enriched.”
We appreciate the dedication and commitment volunteers need to be part of our hospice clinical team. To provide consistent patient support, these volunteers commit to:
- a minimum of one year of regular weekly service
- two to four hours per week visiting patients
- attend three to four support meetings or educational in-service programs annually
- an annual performance review
If you have experienced a recent death of someone close to you or are presently involved with a critically ill loved one, please wait one year before volunteering in any of our Patient and Family Support positions. You may participate in non-clinical volunteer service (retail shops, events and special projects). Please discuss your specific situation with a Volunteer Coordinator.