Community Hospice of Maryland

Hospice Volunteers – the Heart of Hospice

For people with a terminal illness, Community Hospice pays special attention to enhancing quality of life by making patients as comfortable as possible in their own home. Patients and families get the attention and care they need, as well as understanding and support. Volunteers are an essential part of the hospice philosophy of care, which recognizes that dying is not just a medical event, but a personal one as well. Patients are cared for by an transdisciplinary team, which includes volunteers, which permits people to live until they die, comfortably and with dignity in a familiar environment, surrounded by loved ones.

Hospice volunteers enhance the patient's quality of life and reduce the burden of care-giving. They support patients and family members by running errands, providing respite for caregivers, helping with household tasks, and lending emotional support and companionship. Volunteers are also needed in the Calverton, MD office for administrative work and assistance with filing, answering phones, making copies, and preparing mailings.

Volunteers are asked to make a one year commitment and must pass a background check and attend 20 hours of training and additonal inservices at the Washington, DC location on Upton Street NW. Community Hospice is unable to accept volunteers who need community service hours.