Volunteering

Volunteering at St. Bernardine Hospice Care is a great chance for people who want to help others. Our compassionate volunteers help share the load with our staff and with family caregivers.

Hospice Goals

The goal of hospice care is to manage the symptoms the pain of our terminally ill patients. We provide all services with a foundation of teamwork, compassion and high-quality care.

The Importance of Volunteering

Our volunteers truly make a difference in the lives of our patients. The following are some of the daily volunteer duties:

Being a companion to patients by helping with daily tasks, including reading, shopping, and conversing
Providing bereavement support and encouragement to grieving family members and friends
Increasing community awareness of hospice care at health outreach centers and health fairs.
Using a variety of therapies with patients to improve comfort, including pet and music therapy
Organizing community outreach events
Helping in St. Bernardine’s offices
Creating videos commemorating the lives of deceased loved ones

Time Requirements

After basic training, our volunteers can choose how many hours they work each week. They can also decide where in our community they want to help. Some volunteers choose to work only a few hours each month while others put in several hours each week. No matter what you choose, we will help you meet all your work preferences.

Our volunteers attend training sessions that also allow them to socialize over snacks and create new friends. Training sessions are led by dedicated health care professionals who will answer questions and ensure that you are thoroughly prepared for your new role. You will attend two sessions that run for five hours each. When you complete training, you will receive a Hospice Volunteer Certification.

To become a hospice volunteer, you must meet the following qualifications:

Be 18 years of age or older
Hold a valid California driver’s license if volunteering for Patient/Family Services
Hold a valid California ID if volunteering for Office Work/Community Outreach/Bereavement
Pass a complete background check

The Rewards for Volunteering

The benefits you experience while volunteering are as varied as each of your patients will be. You will know you made a difference for that patient at the end of their life. You also gave emotional support to the patient’s loved ones. With volunteering, you can truly make a difference in a person’s life.