What Hospice Volunteers Do
Trained volunteers offer family members and friends breaks from caregiving by providing a few hours per week of respite care for patients. Volunteers also record life stories, play music, assist in the office, support family members after the death, and help in other ways.
Whether in a patient's home or at the hospice office, volunteers offer many kinds of compassionate, practical help.
A volunteer can help by:
- providing patients companionship, support, and personal care
- giving caregivers much-needed breaks
- helping with errands and household chores
- preserving life stories
- playing music or singing
- visiting with a therapy dog
- taking a patient on an outing
- sewing gowns, slippers, and pillows
- sitting quietly with someone during the last hours of life
- encouraging bereaved family members as they make adjustments
- assisting BHS office staff with routine tasks as well as special projects
Read what our volunteers say about their experiences with Benton Hospice Service.