Become a Hospice Volunteer

“When you volunteer, you are not paid in money or recognition. You are paid in LOVE. People may forget what you said or did. But they will never forget how it made them FEEL.”

Are you looking to make a difference in someone’s life while doing something that is deeply rewarding and meaningful? Consider becoming a hospice volunteer for Cooley Dickinson Hospice. Our hospice volunteers come from all walks of life, and are crucial partners in bringing comfort and support to our community of patients facing end of life. As an integral member of our hospice team, you can help in a number of ways:

Ways to Volunteer:

• Patient Companionship: Sitting quietly, reading, playing music, watching TV, sharing stories, holding hands, preparing meals, doing errands, being a caring presence.
• Family/Caregiver Support: Providing respite breaks and helping with errands.
• Complementary Therapies: Certified Massage, Reiki, music and pet therapists.
• Bereavement Support: Making bereavement calls, sending out mailings.
• Administrative Help: Assisting with typing, filing, sending letters and cards.
• Journey Home Singers: Singing with our renowned acapella singing group for patients in their home, at skilled nursing facilities or at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Hospice Volunteer Requirements

No experience is necessary. If you can meet these requirements, we’d love to talk with you!

• • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • Willing to complete about 18-20 hours of training
  • Can donate about 1 visit per week (approximately 1-2 hours with travel), with a 1 year commitment.
  • Are a licensed driver with own transportation and auto insurance
  • Willing to drive up to 20 minutes from your home to visit with patients.
  • Will agree to a CORI check and employee health screening (for volunteers in direct patient contact)
  • Will agree to health precautions and confidentiality standards

How to Apply

Before applying, please read Considering Being a Hospice Volunteer. Then, please complete and submit the Hospice Volunteer Application in one of the following ways:

• Paper
  Download and fill out this Word doc version of the Hospice Volunteer Application. Save your completed form and email it or mail it to the address on the form.
• Online
  Complete this online application form and hit Submit when you are done.

Once reviewed, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator Tina Leflar will schedule a one-on-one interview to more fully explore how we can match your interests with our needs. From there, we will complete background, health and reference checks, and enroll you in our next training program, which we run twice each year.

Contact Us

To learn more about hospice volunteering and how you can make a profound difference while enriching your life, please contact our Hospice Volunteer Coordinator Tina Leflar at 413-584-1060 or by email at cleflar@cooleydickinson.org.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer for VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson. We look forward to talking with you!