Volunteer Opportunities with HPC - Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Kentucky

VOLUNTEER SERVICES

The spirit of hospice volunteering comes from a genuine desire to give comfort, peace, and care to patients living at the end of life, their caregivers, and families. Hospice volunteers can have a tremendous impact on the lives of the patients we serve, the hospice team of which they are a part, and the families of the terminally ill. HPC - Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky serves Daviess, Hancock, Hopkins, and Muhlenberg Counties. We welcome dedicated, compassionate volunteers to become an integral part of our hospice team and our Mission: Helping individuals live with dignity through the final stages of life.

BECOMING A HOSPICE VOLUNTEER

Volunteers wishing to share their time and talents can benefit hospice and those we serve in many ways, whether helping support patients, caregivers, and families directly or assisting the organization with administrative work and community functions. Volunteer services usually fall into two categories: direct care volunteering and indirect care volunteering.

DIRECT CARE VOLUNTEERS

Hospice volunteers who work directly with patients, caregivers, and families are considered Direct Care volunteers. These volunteers are warm, caring people who visit patients in their homes, long-term care and assisted living facilities, hospitals, and inpatient centers, providing support and comfort in many ways:

Sitting with patients, offering companionship and a comforting presence
Sharing activities that interest the patient, like reading, music, playing games or cards, crafts or art projects
Providing respite for caregivers so they can have time away to run errands, shop, be with friends, or simply rest
Assisting with bereavement services, such as grief groups, memorial programs, mailings, and calls to those who have lost loved ones
Weekly Tuck-in/Supply Calls to patients

INDIRECT CARE VOLUNTEERS

Indirect Care Volunteers provide various services depending on their desires, abilities, and interests. They do not work directly with patients and families. Instead, they serve the organization and hospice team in other valuable ways, such as general office duties (filing, answering phones), clerical tasks (mailings, special projects), helping with computer projects/data entry, assisting with community events, health fair booths or fundraising projects, or landscaping and outdoor projects, etc.

VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Volunteers must complete an extensive in-person training orientation upon joining the program. Training is conducted by the Volunteer Coordinator and various Team Leaders representing Administration, Nursing, and Bereavement. Completion of a mandatory training program is required annually.

To learn more about volunteering, contact our Volunteer Department at 270.926.7565 or eduggins@hpcwky.org. Or, if you’re ready to apply, you can submit an online application, and our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch. Go to the Volunteer Application page under Volunteer Services to apply or click on the Application button below!

REQUIREMENTS FOR VOLUNTEERING

Individuals applying to volunteer for HPC - Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky are not required to have previous experience as a hospice volunteer; however, they must:

Complete a mandatory training/orientation about our services and policies.
Submit information for a criminal background check, as required by state law.
Submit information for a driving records check.
Submit to annual TB testing (free of charge). Upon entering the program, volunteers will receive a TB test unless proof of a negative test can be provided from the last 12 months.
Must be 18 or older.