Volunteer

Volunteers are critical to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County. Hospice regulations require that at least five percent of our working hours come from specially trained volunteers.

Patient and Family Volunteers work directly with Hospice families. They sit with the patient when a caregiver needs to be away. They provide companionship and may help with small household tasks or run errands. Many of them are the loved ones of former patients, helping other Hospice families just as volunteers helped them. All Patient/Family Volunteers must go through a required training.

Hospice Helpers support Hospice in various ways, from staffing fundraisers, helping with fundraisers or mailings, and other Hospice events.

Administrative and Maintenance Volunteers spend their time in and around the office. They may answer phones, file, or help with mailings. Others complete small fix-it jobs needed to keep the building in tip top shape. These volunteers complete a brief training.

Community Relations Volunteers assist the Development Department in fundraising and public awareness campaigns. You might help with a mailing, sit at a Hospice booth, or bake goodies for a Hospice function.

Bereavement Volunteers take the same in-depth training as the Patient/Family Volunteers. In addition, they receive specialized training about the grieving process. Volunteers often make phone calls to family members following a death. They may also be asked to help facilitate grief support groups. Administrative Volunteers Administrative Volunteers assist in the day to day operation of Hospice. They are trained to answer phones, make copies, file and fax documents, and complete other general tasks that help the office run smoothly.