Feed a Hospice Resident, Feed Your Soul

All it takes is compassion and a little time to become a volunteer feeding assistant, which is helping hospice patients during meal times in nursing homes.

Volunteer feeding assistants provide the gifts of sustenance and companionship to hospice patients, who often need more time and assistance to finish their meals. Volunteers are trained in how to make any meal more enjoyable for patients, by being patient and providing a listening ear.

Tasks can include accompanying residents to and from the dining room, preparing residents for a meal, serving the meal, providing encouragement and conversation, cutting food so residents can feed themselves, assisting with beverages, in some cases, feeding residents, recording food and beverage intake.

The time commitment from the volunteer can be as little as one hour, yet the reward is instant gratification.

All VITAS Healthcare volunteers are trained in communication skills, family dynamics, the dying experience and ways to positively affect the patient and his or her family.

Times and dates are ongoing and flexible, and volunteer orientation is provided free of charge.

For more information about VITAS Volunteer Services visit https://www.vitas.com/volunteer.