Services Offered by Volunteers
Volunteer Needs:
- Personal care (including feeding or laundry and other hands-on tasks)
- Patient care (including friendly visits, caregiver relief, companionship, reading, etc.)
- Errands, transportation, deliveries
- Artistic expression, music for comfort
- Remembrance and life review (scrapbooking, memory boxes, family trees, journaling, video/ audio taping)
- Massage therapy/skilled application of lotion
- Pet-a-pet therapy
- Administrative support
- Special events/fundraising
- Marketing (outreach activities or speaking to others about hospice)
- Bereavement (phone calls, visits, support groups)
- Licensed hair stylist
- Lawn/gardening work
The Role of the Volunteer:
Volunteers are needed to provide companionship and bereavement support, to work directly with patients and families, and to provide clerical assistance at the Hoover Office. Volunteers receive basic orientation through our Hospice Orientation Program, which provides training for hospice care, and for life. Contact us for more information on becoming a Hospice of Holland volunteer.
Vigil and Bereavement Services:
- The Volunteer Vigil Program exists to provide additional support and comfort to patients and their family members in the last days and moments of the dying process.
- The goal of this special service is to make sure that no patient has to die alone.
- Vigils can be held for up to 12 hours at a time, typically from 8pm to 8am, or as specified by the family.
- The Bereavement Volunteer Program is designed to help family members and loved ones in the weeks and months after a death.
- This service can be a great addition to the professional bereavement counseling and support groups offered by Hospice of Holland.
- A bereavement counselor can request a specially trained Hospice of Holland bereavement volunteer to have contact two to four times a month for up to 13 months after the loss.
- This contact can involve phone conversations, going out for coffee, taking walks, or anything else that can help offer support, companionship, and a listening ear.
Volunteer Services Include:
Artistic Adventure. Help patients explore their creativity using artistic expression on a variety of projects. Charcoal pencil, crayon, marker, oil pastel, printmaking, watercolor pencil, luma and watercolor paint are on hand for use.
Pet-a-Pet Therapy. Work with patients and pets during scheduled visits. *Must be certified through Alliance of Therapy Dogs or have passed the AKC Good Citizenship Test.
Sounds of Comfort. Musically inclined volunteers are needed to: sing or play the piano, keyboard or other instruments for patients; join the bell choir to play hymns and participate in sing-a-longs; assist patients and/or family members in playing keyboard and rhythm instruments.
Comforting Touch. Volunteers are trained to apply lotion to a patient’s hands for relaxation and a comforting touch.
Remembrance/Life Review. Help a patient or family member capture significant moments, for personal growth or as a family legacy, through the creation of a journal, scrapbook, memory box, audio or video recording, or a family tree.
Reading Aloud. Volunteer to spend time reading to patients.
Massage Therapy. Certified Massage Therapists provide massages to patients and family members for comfort and relaxation purposes. See current openings for Massage Therapists.
Volunteer Vigil Program: Some patients may have small or distant families, or few loved ones able to be with them, making their final hours more difficult. Volunteers in this program are available to sit with patients-to give family members a rest, to offer emotional comfort and support, or simply to be a calming presence. Volunteers are generally on-call for a full 24-hour period. Additional training is required.
Hospice Orientation Program (HOP)
The HOP consists of online training. Contact us for more information. To schedule a pre-training interview or learn more about volunteering, call 616.395.5514.
Life Review:
Our Life Review Program uses trained volunteers to help capture a person’s most significant moments in a unique and individual way. This is a wonderful way to help individuals and families reflect on their lives and memories, and to create a precious gift that can be enjoyed by future generations.
- Journaling – The art of capturing special memories in writing. Each journal is personalized for that individual’s unique experiences.
- Scrapbooking – The art of capturing photos and mementos to tell a story of a person’s special memories. Each person is provided with a starter kit.
- Video Memories – The art of capturing on DVD anything an individual wishes to preserve.
- Audio Memories – The special voice of someone you love sharing their favorite stories and thoughts on life can be a wonderful keepsake.
Individuals interested in receiving volunteer services can notify their nurse or social worker to make a request.
hollandhospice.org
270 Hoover Blvd
Holland, MI 49423
Patient services are provided without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, height, weight or national origin.
Volunteer Requirements
- Must be 18 or older.
- Pass a background check and drug screen.
- For massage therapists/cosmetologists, must have current Michigan license in your field.
- For Pet visits, handler and pet must belong to an accredited therapy dog training organization, or have passed AKC Good Citizenship test and agree to maintain liability insurance.
Learn more about our Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are needed to provide companionship and bereavement support, to work directly with patients and families, and to provide clerical assistance at the Hoover Office.
VOLUNTEER SERVICES
