Volunteer in hospice care

Provide comfort and support to patients and families receiving care from Hospice of the Central Coast, part of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. You’ll play a key role in a team offering personalized end-of-life care in your community.

Training and education

Before you start volunteering, you’ll complete a general training program to:

• Understand hospice care
• Learn how to offer grief support
• Identify what’s important to patients
• Build listening and communication skills
• Determine when you’re ready to volunteer 

Throughout your time as a volunteer, you’ll receive ongoing support and education from staff, volunteer mentors, and a variety of community experts.

Volunteer opportunities

After the general training session, choose to volunteer in the area that’s closest to your heart:

• Bereavement services – Give one-on-one support to patients and families, make bereavement phone calls and visits, and, with additional training, facilitate grief support groups
• Complementary therapy – Provide massage therapy, healing touch, reflexology, or other services you have credentials in. Ask us about training available for aromatherapy
• Patient and family support – Visit private homes and skilled nursing facilities, such as Westland House, to offer companionship to patients and give caregivers a chance to rest 
• Transitions program – Visit homes or nursing facilities to volunteer with patients expected to live one year or less
• Volunteer chaplains – Offer spiritual support and, occasionally, memorial services

Opportunities with specialized training

Tell us if you’re interested in one of these volunteer areas that require additional training:

• Administrative assistance – Support our staff in a variety of projects
• Bereavement group facilitation – Work in pairs to lead support groups with guidance from professional staff
• Greeter at Westland House – Guide visitors upon arrival, make deliveries to patients, and help with administrative tasks
• Transportation – Drive patients to medical appointments
• Vigil service – Sit by a patient’s bedside or hold a vigil in the last 24 to 48 hours of life

Volunteer forms

Print and fill out the following forms and bring them to your volunteer training. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can get copies at the training program.

[Migrate forms from final accordion at https://www.montagehealth.org/montage-health/volunteer/hospice]