Patient and family volunteers have the opportunity to help people during a critical time in their lives, assisting them in Making Each Moment Matter. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities including patient and family support, grief support, children's programs, Hospice Home, office assistant, or fundraising. Volunteers may select which program meets their interests and time availability.

Patient/Family Volunteers

Cedar Valley Hospice volunteers are assigned to patients and families in hospice care or on our palliative care program. They become friends who listen and respond to patient and families' needs with understanding and empathy. Volunteers help maintain a sense of normalcy and quality of life. Tasks may include providing companionship to hospice or LINK patients, offering respite care for the caregiver, shopping, running errands, providing transportation or assisting at the Hospice Home.

Eucalyptus Tree Volunteers

Children grieve differently than adults. The Eucalyptus Tree program exists to help children who are grieving the death or terminal illness of someone special to them. Volunteers are the key to this successful program. Volunteers may help with Katie and Quincy Koala, serve as a Grief Mentor, work with a peer group, or provide support to children at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home.

Grief Support Volunteers

Volunteers function as sensitive listeners to family members after a loss. They stay in contact through phone calls, or home visits and accompany family members to grief support and social events.

Cedar AIDS Support System (CASS)

Volunteers for CASS play an important role in helping individuals living with HIV and AIDS and their loved ones. CASS volunteers provide practical and emotional support and act as sensitive listeners to clients and their loved ones. Many volunteers also help by providing transportation to and from medical appointments.

Other Opportunities

Other volunteer opportunities are available at Cedar Valley Hospice. These include assisting with office duties and mailings, working at fundraising events, gardening, and serving on various committees.

Volunteer Responsibilities:

• Make a year commitment
• Attend training sessions and in-services
• Donate at least one hour per week
• Be in good physical & emotional health
• Be a sensitive & empathetic person
• Be a good listener
• Maintain confidentiality
• Be comfortable with varied spiritual beliefs and cultural backgrounds
• Have reliable transportation
• Not be in active treatment for cancer or have a family member in treatment
• Not have experienced the death of a family member or loss through divorce or separation within the past year

Contact Cedar Valley Hospice for more information on volunteer opportunities.