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Volunteering

 

 

"It is impossible...for one to give as you have given, entering into a life that is at its close, without also sharing the pain of parting. May you be comforted by the knowledge that you have brightened the last days of a fellow human being." -unknown

 

Volunteering for hospice is a challenging and rewarding experience. Hospice of Missoula's in-depth volunteer training teaches you how to care for terminally ill patients and their families. By serving people who are making choices about how to spend their last precious days, volunteers learn about themselves and what really matters. Hospice volunteers can have a dramatically positive influence on the lives of hospice patients and their families, and in doing so make a valuable contribution to the community and the world at large. Hospice of Missoula loves its volunteers and appreciates all the time given. Some examples of volunteer tasks are:

 

* Provide hands-on care to dying patients.

* Provide respite and support for family and other caregivers.

* Do administrative work in a hospice office.

* Assist with fund raising activities.

* Read to patients, listen, and be there for patients who need companionship.

* Assist with childcare.

* Provide bereavement support for families.

* Provide professional services.

 

How to become a Hospice of Missoula volunteer

 

The easiest way to become a hospice volunteer is to call the hospice office or email us and ask to be considered for the next volunteer training class. While hospices generally encourage people who have experienced a loss to wait at least a year to be trained as a patient volunteer, there are often administrative and fundraising tasks that need doing. If you have already completed a hospice volunteer training somewhere else, your training should be valid at any other hospice. Medicare requires that volunteers are aware of the following:

 

* Their duties and responsibilities;

* The person they report to;

* The person they contact if they need assistance and instruction;

* Hospice goals, services, and philosophies;

* Confidentiality and protection of the patient's and family's rights;

* Family dynamics, coping mechanisms and psychological issues surrounding terminal illness, death, and bereavement;

* Procedures to be followed in an emergency or following the death of a patient;

* Guidance elated to specific individual responsibilites.

 

We have provided below a checklist of requirements for potential volunteers as well as our volunteer application form. Please review them before contacting us about volunteering. If you are interested in volunteering for Hospice of Missoula, please call our office at (406) 543-4408 or contact us using our contact form.

 

Check List for Volunteers

 

 

Volunteer Application