Visit patients in the community and read a book, play games, listen and talk about their day, sing, deliver flowers, run errands, there are so many opportunities! Volunteering to visit hospice patients allows the patient to have a friend outside of their family. You can offer them support, companionship, socialization, and family relief.
Our patients love seeing new faces and getting to talk to someone for support. Companionship can go a long way for our patients who miss getting out and spending time with friends and family. Spending time with someone, even if you just offer a listen ear, makes a huge impact on our patients' moods and wellbeing.
Several other patients live at home with a full-time caregiver, but many caregivers and family members do not want to leave the patient by themselves to run errands or go to the grocery store. Seeing a patient when a family member is close allows the caregiver to leave the home without any stress. Of course, it also makes the patient happy to have someone new to come see them and retell their stories, play games, or read. You can also run errands for caregivers that want to stay home with their loved one!