Hospice Vigil Volunteer

As a Vigil Volunteer, you provide a supportive presence for the patient and family in the final hours of the patient's life. Support may be provided for patients who have no family to be with them, or to provide support and guidance to families and caregivers, helping to relieve the unknown.

Support is given in a variety of ways, such as providing a calming presence, talking and listening to the family/caregiver or sharing silence, reading a comforting poem or scripture, listening to soothing music, or sitting quietly by the patient's bedside.

To be a vigil volunteer, you must be familiar with the dying process and recognize when death is imminent. You will receive additional education and training on anticipatory grief, empathic presence, reflective listening, and the rights of the dying. You must be comfortable around death and able to maintain composure in stressful situations. It is important that you are willing to be called for an assignment on short-notice and have some flexibility with scheduling.