A Friendly Socialization Visit to Hospice Patients and their Families

VITAS is looking for kind and caring volunteers to help terminally ill patients and their families. When you make friendly visits, run simple errands, provide a listening ear, and offer the gift of friendship at a crucial time, you can make a real difference in another's life. Yours, too!

Volunteers are needed throughout Broward County, in home settings, nursing home, ALF and inpatient units. Volunteers can also provide respite care for the Caregiver, as they need comfort and support too! Once you complete the orientation program, you will be able to choose an assignment near your home.

Patient Care Volunteers can be retirees, working professionals, students (must be 18). All nationalities, ethnic backgrounds and lifestyles are invited. Patient Care Volunteers can also include professional massage therapists, ministers, Reiki, cosmetologists. This is an exceptional opportunity for students working towards their medical/heath care degrees, who need experience in palliative and end of life care

VITAS provides free training and orientation for volunteers to help learn the skills required to be an outstanding hospice volunteer. Volunteering also strenghthens you resume for a post-college career.

Important Qualities of a VITAS Patient Care Volunteer:

Care and empathy for others

Tolerance - respect for different cultural values, lifestyles and beliefs

Ability to listen without judgement; without dominating the conversation

Receptive to hospice philosophy; comfort with death and loss

Maturity, good emotional health, no recent significant loss/crisis

Ability to work independent or on a team

Flexibility with work assignments

Time to commit to assignments

Able to uphold confidentiality

Flexible Hours/days of week

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: laurel.torres@vitas.com or www.vitas.com/volunteer