Volunteering at VNA - Hospice

Volunteerism is an essential part of VNA-Hospice.  VNA-Hospice could not survive without our many wonderful volunteers.

There are many different opportunities for volunteerism at VNA-Hospice.

Board of Directors: Our Board of Directors is made up of 22 community members who are elected to three-year terms.  Each board member is chosen as a representative of their community.  They bring certain traits or backgrounds that are essential for a not-for-profit home health care agency.

Committee Meetings: Many of our committees have volunteers on them from our communities who have certain traits or backgrounds that are a real help to the specific committee.

            Home Care Advisory Committee                                  Quality Improvement Committee

            Hospice Advisory Committee                                       Private Pay Committee

            Maternal Child Health Committee                                 Finance Committee                  

            Medical Advisory Committee                                        Fund Raising Committee

            Personnel Committee

Information:  If you have any specific experiences or knowledge that may benefit the Board of Directors or any of our committees and are willing to volunteer your time, contact the Branch Director at 569-2729.

Hospice Volunteers: Hospice Program volunteers are important members of the Hospice Team who help support patients and families during periods of illness, loss and grief. You as volunteers may choose to work directly with the patient and families or you may volunteer in many other ways. In whatever capacity you choose as a volunteer, you will always be making a difference. 

Click here for a Hospice Volunteer Application

Companionship: The volunteer makes pre-arranged visits with the patient/family for the duration of the patient’s admission to the Hospice Program.  Visits may include reading aloud, working on a special project or just sitting quietly together talking or in silence.

Respite Care: The volunteer stays with the patient when the primary care giver goes out for a short time.

Odds and ends: The volunteer may run errands, perform very light chores such as dishes, start a load of clothes or prepare a snack. They may even take the patient for a ride in their own vehicle.

Vigils:  Volunteers are often asked to remain with a patient/family in the last hours prior to death for support and comfort, so that no one has to be alone, during this transition.

Information:  Hospice volunteer training is offered every spring and autumn and consists of a nine-week course, three hours each week.  For further information contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 569-2729 x263.

Home Health Volunteer/Visitors: Volunteers for the Home Health Program provide companionship and support to patients who are homebound and often isolated from their families and friends.  These volunteers do not provide “hands on” care, but are essential to the patient’s emotional well being. 

Click here for a Home Health Care Volunteer Application

Companionship:  The volunteer makes pre-arranged visits with the patient/family.  The visits may include playing a game or watching television with the patient or even doing some light chores such as dishes, starting a load of clothes, or preparing a light snack. 

Information: Home Health Volunteers/Visitor orientation is offered as needed during the year and consists of one 3-hour session.  For further information contact the Volunteer Coordinator in Wolfeboro at 569-2729 x263.

Good Beginnings Volunteers:  Good Beginnings volunteers provide support to families in the Maternal/Child Health Program that have new babies.

Commitment: The Good Beginnings volunteer visits two to three hours a week for approximately three months after the baby’s birth.

Responsibilities:  The Good Beginnings volunteers provide baby care in order to support the parent(s) so he/she may take a nap, get outside for exercise, shopping or appointments.  Often the volunteer will free up the parent(s) so that he/she can have more time with the baby’s older siblings.

Click here for Good Beginnings Volunteers Application

Volunteers may supply information regarding community resources.  They listen and offer emotional support to the new parent(s).  They may on occasion help with some light chores around the house.

Information:  Good Beginnings volunteer training is offered as needed during the year.  The program is approximately six hours.  A waiting list is maintained. For further information contact the Volunteer Coordinator in Wolfeboro at 569-2729 x263.

Clerical Volunteers: Clerical volunteers work in the main office and they provide support to office personnel.  Their services include, but are not limited to, filing, sorting, data entry, photocopying, collating and answering the phones. They are also needed for special projects that arise throughout the year, such as the Annual Fund Drive.

Clerical volunteers commit to a regular schedule that is arranged with the Office Manager.

Orientation is “on the job” training and is on going as needed.

Finance Volunteers: Finance volunteers work in the Finance Department and they provide support to finance personnel. Their services include, but are not limited, to posting, logging, sorting, data entry, and photocopying. 

Finance volunteers commit to a regular schedule that is arranged with the Chief Financial Officer.

Orientation is “on the job” training and is on-going as needed.

Information:  For more information regarding Office & Finance Volunteers, please call the Volunteer Coordinator in Wolfeboro at 569-2729 x263.