Volunteer

Volunteer

Volunteer

Volunteering for Acacia Hospice and Palliative Care

Hospice Services

Today, hospice offers the same ease and respite to individuals with life-limiting conditions and their families. Hospice services include nursing care, personal care and homemaker services, social services and spiritual support and guidance.

Volunteer

Volunteers are a key component in the hospice care plan, because their sole function is to be a friend and companion to people who may be homebound or even bedbound, and their families. Volunteers can also perform a variety of tasks around the office.

A Friend Indeed

All you need to be a hospice volunteer is a genuine spirit of care and companionship, a few free hours a week, and a desire to do something nice for someone who will really appreciate you. AHPS will thoroughly train you before sending you into the field. You will also have the opportunity to volunteer around the office. You will provide your own transportation, but AHPS will compensate you for your mileage or public transportation fare.

Hospice Volunteer

AHPS volunteers range in age from 16 years to over 70. They come from all walks of life, all over Orange County and the surrounding counties. They volunteer as close to home, or as far from it, as they like. AHPS volunteers are often surprised at how easy it is — and how rewarding and fulfilling. Many express regret that they “did not know about this” opportunity to make a real difference in someone´s life sooner. If you always “wanted to volunteer but just could not find the time,” make the time now. It is a decision you’ll feel good about every time you visit with your new friends.

VOLUNTEER QUALIFICATIONS

Job Summary

Responsible for providing non-medical services as needed to home care patients, nursing home facility patients, n accordance with patient’s plan of care; bereavement calls/support; and/or provides clerical/administrative assistance and support to the hospice staff as designated by the department supervisor.

Job Qualifications

  • A completed volunteer application.
  • Completion of required volunteer training and orientation.
  • Realistic goals for involvement with the hospice program.
  • Ability to accept supervision and direction from the hospice IDT/IDG team.
  • When the death of a family member has occurred, recommendation to wait at least one year before accepting assignments as a direct care volunteer or involvement with public relations activities.
  • If providing professional services as a volunteer, must provide documentation that meets all licensing and registration standards required by the State in their specialty area.
  • Demonstrate ability to relate effectively with the community, patients/families, and members of the hospice interdisciplinary team.

Physical Requirements

  • Frequently required to stand, walk, reach with hand and arms, stoop, kneel, twist, and crouch.
  • Frequently required to walk and sit.
  • Regularly required to use hands to handle and feel and to speak and hear.
  • Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
  • Ability to deal effectively with stress.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception, and ability to focus.
  • Require ability to drive an automobile.

Working Conditions

  • Patient home settings, general office settings, inpatient care facility, health care offices/hospitals.
  • Exposure Risk Category II.

Organizational Standards

Customer Service and Relationship Building

Focuses efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of a diverse group of people, both internal and external customers, as well as the patients and families served by hospice.

Teamwork and Cooperation

Implies a genuine intention to work cooperatively with others, expresses positive expectations of others, shares all relevant or useful information on a timely basis.

Technical/Professional Quality

Demonstrates mastery of job-related knowledge and acts to keep skills and knowledge current.

Initiative

Persistent, refuses to give up when faced with obstacles or rejection; takes action that will improve or enhance performance of job responsibilities.

Communicating

Articulates clearly, the Mission, Vision, and Values of hospice, effectively communicates with direct and honest feedback in developing relationships with others.

Managing People

Provides constructive feedback to support the work and ideas of others.

Achievement

Sets challenging goals for self and helps team members achieve goals set to meet hospice standards of excellence.

Essential Functions

  • Demonstrate compliance and understanding of the hospice vision, purpose, guiding principles and philosophy
  • Demonstrate and maintain knowledge of universal precautions and safety policies/procedures
  • Establish and maintain appropriate boundaries with patient/family/caregiver
  • Demonstrate protection and respect for patient/family rights and confidentiality
  • Demonstrate respect for cultural diversity and special communication needs
  • Participate in mandatory trainings for specific job assignments and in-services
  • Honor time commitments to the volunteer program
  • Provide accurate, timely, and complete documentation of volunteer activities
  • Follow policy and procedures for communicating with hospice team members
  • Comply with all applicable laws and policies and procedures
  • Adhere to all confidentiality policies and procedures

Perform other reasonable duties as assigned