Hospice Music Therapist Volunteer

Volunteer will use music to provide comfort, emotional support, and relaxation to hospice patients and their families. By volunteering your musical talents, you’ll play an important role in ensuring that patients experience dignity, peace, and meaningful connection during their end-of-life journey.

This is an unpaid volunteer position, but your contributions will leave an immeasurable impact on those facing life’s final transition.

Position Specific Responsibilities

Patient Support Through Music:

• Provide soothing musical experiences for hospice patients through live or recorded music.
• Engage patients with meaningful music-based activities such as singing, listening, playing an instrument (e.g., guitar, ukulele, harp, keyboard), or creating customized playlists to reflect the patient’s preferences and life memories.
• Help alleviate feelings of anxiety, pain, or restlessness, and foster moments of joy, relaxation, and peace.

Family Support Through Music:

• Offer music therapy as a supportive tool to help family members cope during challenging times and foster a comforting environment.
• Where appropriate, include families in music-based activities to create shared memories and deepen their connection with their loved one.

Volunteers must submit timely documentation of all patient and family contacts or volunteer activities to the Volunteer Coordinator. Participate in in-service programs and ongoing education to remain informed about information pertinent to the volunteer role.

Education and/or Experience

Professional, Certified and/or Complementary Therapies Volunteers: Must provide a current license, certification, or proof of training and experience. Minimum of one (1) year of experience required. Ability to maintain infection control requirements. Must be at least 18 years of age.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentage.

Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from leaders, team members, investors, and external parties. Strong written and verbal communications.

Other Skills and Abilities: Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Articulates and embraces integrated healthcare at home philosophy. Ability to support dying patients and their families utilizing skills learned in volunteer orientation. Maintain confidentiality of patient/family interactions and information. Ability to follow through on patient care assignments in a reliable manner.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The demands of this role necessitate a team member to effectively perform essential functions. Adaptations can be made to accommodate team members with disabilities. Regular standing, walking, and manual dexterity are fundamental, along with the ability to lift and move objects up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity requirements include close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. In a healthcare setting, exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, and conditions typical to the field is expected. Routine use of standard medical equipment and tools associated with clinical care is essential. This description provides a general overview and may vary by role and department, capturing the nuanced demands and conditions inherent to clinical positions in our organization.

At Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our Pillars of Success. We are committed to creating a fair work environment where our team members feel welcomed, highly valued, and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.