A Matchmaker for Hospice Volunteers
Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match! When a prospective hospice volunteer contacts us, they do so because they have a big heart and want to make a difference in their community. It’s our team of skilled volunteer managers who talk to them about their skills, interests, and availability and find the perfect volunteer match for them here at Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care.
Shared Interests
“I learn a lot about my hospice volunteers during the application and training process,” says Crossroads Volunteer Manager Barabar Poe. “Then I speak to our patients or their primary caregiver to find out what the patient’s interests are. I get excited when we have situations like a student who sings in choir and a patient who was a music teacher. What a cool match that was!”
“Right now, we have a gentleman who enjoys reading, and we matched him with a patient who loves being read to,” Barbara continues. “She used to listen to audiobooks, now our volunteer goes out once a month and reads her a new story. They’ve developed a really great relationship. He reads to her from a series of books written for dementia patients. It’s not about dementia, but it’s written in a style with short paragraphs she can connect with and enjoy.”
Making a Connection
There’s a certain kind of magic when two people make a connection.
“We have one hospice volunteer who plays the guitar. So many people love to hear live music, and the energy of the music is so great for patients,” Barbara notes. “Sometimes they quietly enjoy it, but recently, we had a patient who plays the accordion and the spoons, and she joined right in! They had such a great afternoon making music together!”
But even when there’s not much to say, the connection is still there.
“It’s an amazing thing that happens when you get comfortable being quiet with another person,” observes Barbara, “You don’t need a special talent to be able to sit with someone and share a sense of connection from one human being to another. It can be one of the most profound experiences that you will ever have.”
Even if you don’t want to work one-on-one with patients, there are still many ways to support them.
“We can have volunteers work in the office,” Barbara explains. “We have a lot of opportunities with office work and filing. They can go with me to talk about volunteering in the community. We do special projects at facilities for our patients that volunteers can help put together. There are many ways to be a part of our team.”
Getting Started as a Hospice Volunteer
Walking into a new situation and meeting new people can be intimidating for some hospice volunteers, so our volunteer managers go with new volunteers on their first visit to a new patient.
“We make sure our volunteers are well trained and have all the support they need in the field,” says Barbara. “There are so many ways you can connect with a patient. You can paint their nails. You can gently put lotion on their hands. It’s such a sweet thing for the patient and the volunteer.”
Can you spare 45 minutes to volunteer with Crossroads? Fill out a volunteer application online or call 1-888-564-3405 to speak with a volunteer manager. We have just the match for you.
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