National Volunteer Week
April 21-27, 2013

Established as a national week of recognition in 1974, National Volunteer Week is celebrated by hospices across the country and provides an important opportunity to honor volunteers and engage with the broader community. "National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization's" theme in 2013 is “Comfort. Love. Respect”.

Living life as fully as possible is what hospice and palliative care are all about—and volunteers are an essential part of this. Whether it’s running errands, helping check items off a bucket list, lending an ear or opening their hearts, hospice volunteers bring comfort, love and respect when it is needed most.

“As a hospice volunteer, I've seen firsthand the comfort, love and respect hospice brings to all the people they care for. Thanks to all of the volunteers across the nation!”

Torrey DeVitto

Actor, Advocate, Hospice

Volunteer and NHPCO Hospice Ambassador

Hospice brings you and your family compassionate care when a cure isn't possible. Making sure you and your loved ones find comfort, love, and respect is what it is all about—and volunteers are an essential part of this. Thanks to our nation’s 450,000 volunteers!

Hospice volunteers are very unique individuals who have a deep sense of compassion for those who are terminally ill. They give selflessly to our patients.

They hold a hand that is in need of gentle touch.

They read a book that tired eyes cannot see.

They sit at the bedside bringing a smile and a quiet presence to one who needs both.

When there is soup to heat the volunteer prepares;

when there is fresh air to breath the volunteer escorts the patient to the window or porch;

when the day calls for a joke or poem the hospice volunteer complies.

They are flexible, punctual, reliable and intuitive.

They give from their heart, willingly, openly, without restraint.

HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS ARE WONDERFUL, GIVING PEOPLE!

AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR GRACIOUSNESS AND LOVE!!

Volunteering and Hospice Facts from NHPCO’s most recent facts & figures report:

Ø There are an estimated 450,000 trained volunteers working to support the work of our nation’s hospices and the patients and families under their care.

Ø More than 21 million hours of service are provided by hospice volunteers every year.

Ø NHPCO reports that 60% of hospice volunteers assisted with direct patient care; 19% provided support for clinical care; and 21% provided general support to a program.

Ø The typical hospice volunteer devoted 44.4 hours of time in 2011.

Ø Patient care volunteers made an average of 20 visits to hospice patients.

Ø Medicare regulations require that at least 5% of patient care hours be provided by volunteers.

Every year during the month of April our hospice team gather together to celebrate our volunteers! They offer so much value to our organization and to our patients. We can never truly repay them. However, recognition is one important way to let them know how much we appreciate their contribution.

Volunteering in hospice is a choice that creates rewards for patients and families. The ultimate surprise is the growth a volunteer develops from learning more about themselves with every visit to their patient. You learn to communicate in ways that increase your own appreciation of life. Your views of daily situations take on a holistic perspective. Nothing will ever be the same in your personal or professional life if you are correctly trained as a hospice volunteer.