If you’ve been following the Center for Hope Hospice on Facebook or in the local news, you’ve seen some wonderful stories about the volunteers who’ve been brightening up the days for our patients at Peggy’s House and Father Hudson House. Volunteers provide a very valuable service to hospice organizations, whether working directly with patients and their families or indirectly, supporting the staff behind the scenes.

Hospice volunteers are a special breed of compassionate folks who truly want to give comfort and moments of happiness to people dealing with a terminal illness. Their presence is a vital extension of hospice caregiving as it enhances the level of comfort and care patients receive.

Because of the sensitive nature of hospice work, hospice volunteers are trained on the ways in which they will directly assist patients, caregivers and families as well as the administrative tasks they’ll be performing. Issues of boundaries, communication, cultural diversity, privacy, and the end-of-life journey are all discussed at length.

The value of volunteers in hospice and the compassion they share with others cannot be overstated. A 2010 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) study found that hospice programs with higher levels of direct care volunteer involvement reported higher levels of care satisfaction from the bereaved families of hospice patients.

We Love Our Center for Hope Volunteers

At the Center for Hope, we are fortunate to have many dedicated volunteers who not only enjoy giving of their time but also spending time with our patients and their loved ones. From making room visits to serving special meals, playing music or working on a craft, these individuals are making a big difference in everyone’s lives from the activities they engage in with and for our patients. Others prefer to help out in the office. Some come as part of an area company’s community outreach program, others from houses of worship while still others for the sheer joy of giving back to others on an individual basis.

• Our dedicated Auxiliary members plan, coordinate and execute our highly successful Wine Tasting and Fashion Show fundraisers, as well as operate our Hope Chest thrift store in Wesffield.
• For years, a team from L’Oreal USA has come to beautify the grounds at Peggy’s House –  planting flowers and shrubbery around the property.
• Our patients enjoyed a fun afternoon with the 4Cs Club from St. Helen’s Parish, whose members came to crochet and enjoy some social time—and donated several dozen knit caps for our patients to wear in cool weather.
• Volunteers from several Unity Bank branches created colorful flower arrangements and hand-delivered them, with bags of fresh-baked cookies from our kitchen, to every resident at Peggy’s House and Father Hudson House.
• Area residents come to serve special meals and help at family events. Some volunteers are even recognized by their employers for their work with Center for Hope Hospice, which, many times, results in the Center receiving a grant.
• Last year, we told you about a young woman who procured and donated iPods for every single patient, and loaded them with assorted playlists so everyone can enjoy their favorite artists or genres of music.

You can see some of these stories on our Facebook page and read about volunteer opportunities on our website here. To find out more, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Stacy Kaplan at [email protected], call (908) 889-7780, or fill out the form below.