Remote Hospice Phone Companion Volunteers — Calls Only

Remote Hospice Phone Companion Volunteers — Calls Only

VNS Health – Hospice Care (formerly Visiting Nurse Service of New York)

Remote Volunteer Opportunity — Phone Calls Only

Details

Available Times:

Weekdays (daytime and evenings), with scheduling flexibility

Commitment Details:

At least 2 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months

Recurrence:

Recurring

Cause Areas:

Health & Medicine, Seniors & Retirement, Community Support

Benefits:

Training Provided, Meaningful Patient & Family Connection, Remote Volunteer Opportunity

Participation Requirements:

Background Check, Attend Orientation and Training, Must Reside in the United States

Age Requirement:

18+

Other Requirements:

Initial phone screen, background check conducted by VNS Health, references, required onboarding paperwork, and approximately 16 hours of initial training

Description

VNS Health Hospice Care is seeking compassionate, dependable volunteers to provide telephone support to hospice patients and their families. This is a fully remote, phone-based volunteer opportunity with no in-person visits required.

Our Hospice Phone Companion Volunteers offer a warm, caring connection to patients and caregivers during what can often be a difficult and emotional time.

Volunteers make friendly telephone calls to introduce the VNS Health Hospice Volunteer Program, check in with patients and families, and simply offer the gift of conversation and a listening ear.

Some of the ways phone volunteers may help include:

• Calling patients and caregivers to ask how they are doing
• Introducing patients and families to the services available through the VNS Health Hospice Volunteer Program
• Providing friendly conversation and social connection
• Offering a compassionate, nonjudgmental listening presence
• Giving patients and family members an opportunity to share what is on their minds, express concerns, tell stories, or simply feel heard
• Identifying when a patient or caregiver may be interested in additional volunteer support, including an in-person Friendly Visitor
• Helping reduce feelings of isolation through regular, caring telephone contact

No medical care or counseling is provided by volunteers. Your role is simply to connect, listen, and offer a caring human presence.

Commitment

We ask volunteers to commit to:

• A minimum of 2 hours per week
• A minimum commitment of 6 months
• Approximately 16 hours of initial hospice volunteer training
• Completing VNS Health's required volunteer onboarding and background check

Calls will be made using the volunteer's own telephone. Training, guidance, and ongoing support will be provided by the VNS Health Hospice Volunteer Services team.

Because this opportunity is conducted entirely by phone, volunteers can participate remotely from wherever they are located, as long as they are in the USA and provided they have a reliable phone connection and a quiet, private environment from which to make calls.

Who We're Looking For

You do not need previous hospice or healthcare experience. We welcome volunteers who are:

• Compassionate and patient
• Comfortable speaking with people by phone
• Good listeners
• Dependable and able to maintain a regular weekly commitment
• Respectful of confidentiality and personal boundaries
• Comfortable connecting with individuals and families who may be experiencing serious illness, caregiving challenges, grief, or loneliness
• Multilingual speakers who can help us better support the diverse communities served by VNS Health Hospice Care
• We are especially seeking multilingual volunteers who can connect with patients and families in their preferred language. Volunteers who speak Spanish, Chinese languages, Russian, Bengali, Korean, Haitian Creole, French, German and other languages are encouraged to apply.

Sometimes, a simple phone call can make someone feel remembered, connected, and cared for.

If you have two-three hours a week to listen, connect, and make a difference, we would love to hear from you.