The first step is to research the various hospice programs in your local area. Most programs have websites that provide information about their mission, services offered, patient population served, and volunteer opportunities. You can start by doing an online search for “hospice programs near me” to find the options close to where you live. Browsing their websites will give you an initial idea of how each program operates and what types of volunteer roles they have available.

Beyond looking at individual program websites, it can also be helpful to search more broadly online for general information about common hospice volunteer roles and the skills/interests typically required for different positions. Some of the core volunteering needs across most hospice programs include: providing companionship for patients, assisting with activities of daily living, performing light housekeeping/meal preparation tasks, helping with administrative work or fundraising events, offering massage/relaxation support, engaging in music/art activities, or providing respite care for family caregivers. Understanding the scope of typical volunteer roles can help you identify what areas may be the best match based on your skills and interests.

Another valuable source of information is speaking directly with the volunteer coordinators at different hospice programs. Don’t hesitate to call programs you’re interested in and ask if you can schedule a short informational interview or volunteer orientation session to learn more. During these conversations, important questions to ask include: What types of volunteers do you need most? What are the time commitments like for different roles? What ongoing training do you provide? How involved with direct patient care can volunteers be? Do you serve any specific patient populations I’m passionate about (such as pediatric patients)? Speaking to coordinators face-to-face allows you to get customized details on each program beyond what’s on their website.

You’ll also want to consider practical factors like the locations served by different hospices and whether their service areas align with where you live or are willing to travel. Some examples include whether a program operates residential facilities you could volunteer at, or if they only provide in-home care requiring travel. The time commitments expected for various roles is another important consideration – some positions like direct patient companionship will require regularly scheduled visits whereas others like administrative help may be more flexible.

Once you’ve researched programs online and conducted informant interviews, the next step is often to attend volunteer information sessions held by individual hospices. These group orientation meetings are a low-pressure way to learn more details, have your questions answered, and even meet other volunteers. Seeing firsthand how programs operate and introduce themselves can help confirm which one is the closest fit based on mission alignment, populations served, volunteer needs, and time commitment requirements.

Even after narrowing it down to one or two top choices, it’s a good idea to see if you can shadow existing volunteers for a few hours to get a realistic idea of what specific roles entail before formally applying. Ask volunteer coordinators if you can briefly join patient visits, answer phones in the office, assist at an event, or help with other common volunteer tasks. Shadowing exposes you to the full experience and allows both you and the program to determine if the role matches your interests and capabilities.

Consider also speaking with current volunteers about what they enjoy most and find fulfilling working with that particular hospice. Peer perspectives provide an additional layer of valuable insight into the organizational culture, patient and staff relationships, and daily volunteer operations. Their input can help ensure realistic expectations by highlighting both rewards and challenges to expect from different roles.

Once you’ve thoroughly researched programs, roles, and visited or shadowed your top choices, you should have a clear sense of where your interests and strengths are the best fit. At that point, formal applications and background checks are usually the final step before onboarding and hands-on training with the hospice that aligns closest to your skills and passions in service of patients at end of life. Taking a comprehensive, multipronged approach to learning all you can is key to determining the hospice program volunteer needs that match your specific interests best and pave the way for a fulfilling and impactful volunteering experience.