Make a Difference

Anyone over the age of 16 years old and able to donate some sort of service or time in order to support hospice care in our community. Volunteers also have to go through a screening process, interview, and education in order to ensure our vulnerable patient population is protected. Hospice Volunteers are treated like employees.  Our Volunteer Team includes individuals of all ages, students, professionals from various fields in our community, retirees, homemakers, all generously volunteering their time to make a difference. We recognize that having a diverse volunteer team in various locations and with various backgrounds and skills allows us to serve our patient population in a more equitable manner and facilitate meaningful volunteer experiences.

Hospice Volunteers work alongside the Hospice care team with the common objective of enhancing the patient's quality of life, which includes ensuring their comfort, engagement, and ability to stay in their own home. Volunteers form a dedicated team, offering their support to patients and caregivers alike.

Yes, we are happy to work with students. We have students who volunteer through Youth Works Northwest as well as outside of that program. Students are able to help with office clerical work and administrative support if under 18 years old. Students over 18 years old may serve in any capacity including visiting patients as they are comfortable. 

While there is no fixed duration for your volunteer commitment, typically, Hospice Volunteers have most meaningful experiences when they are able to partner long-term with our agency in order to provide continuity of care and ongoing relationship building with our patients, clinical staff, and community members. Typically, volunteers commit an hour or two per week when working directly with patients though his may vary widely and is flexible based on individual availability as well as the nature of your volunteer role. For instance, someone offering professional haircuts in the home may offer a few hours of service per month on an as needed basis. If you have any concerns about your capacity to volunteer at this time but are still highly interested in applying, our Volunteer Coordinator can help determine whether being a Hospice Volunteer with Harbors Hospice is a good fit and guide you through next steps.

Volunteers must be over 16 years old and able to perform any duties or responsibilities associated with their role description, which may vary depending on the type of work a volunteer wishes to provide. Volunteers must have reliable transportation and be able to pass a background and driving record check. Volunteers must be willing to sign a Disclosure Agreement and protect patient and family privacy in accordance with HIPAA laws. Typical strengths of successful volunteers include being genuine, flexible, compassionate, creative, and patient.

Hospice offers a unique approach to providing care for individuals facing incurable illnesses. It emphasizes caring for patients with a focus on quality of life rather than attempting to find a cure. Hospice has a philosophy of providing support and comfort to individuals diagnosed with conditions that limit their life expectancy and seeks to empower them as they focus their remaining time and energy on what is most important. Typically, we care for people in their home providing symptom management and specialty end-of-life care with 24/7 support for patients and families as they navigate terminal illness. 

We serve Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties with offices in Hoquiam and Long Beach, WA and remain flexible, recognizing there are limitations in travel for some who want to volunteer their time. The Volunteer has the option to work with our Volunteer Coordinator on being paired with opportunities in their preferred geographical area when applicable. Those providing office administrative work may need to travel to our office spaces for volunteer time. Still others may be able to perform work hours remotely depending on their specific role. 

There are many different applications of the time, skills, and resources that volunteers are willing to donate to support hospice care. Our patient support volunteers are often responsible for providing a calm, genuine, and caring presence when working directly with patients or caregivers in the home setting. Volunteers with licensure or certification in various professions may offer their services to hospice patients through our agency pro bono. Volunteers with specific talents or passions may wish to creatively offer their service specific to those talents. Some volunteers prefer to help with clerical or administrative, organizational projects, or events. 

Volunteers get reimbursed for mileage at 14 cents per mile, which is a federally set rate of reimbursement for volunteers working for nonprofits in Washington State.

Volunteers go through online training to learn about hospice and how to support patient care during end-of-life. They also complete online food handlers training when appropriate and go through a formal orientation with our Volunteer Coordinator. Depending on the role a Volunteer wishes to fill, there may be additional onboarding and training which will be provided by the agency on an as needed basis to ensure Volunteers feel ready and confident to begin their work alongside the Hospice team.