Hospice
Volunteers
Hospice was founded as a volunteer effort, and volunteerism remains central to the hospice philosophy. The Martin and Edith Stein Hospice welcomes volunteers who wish to share their time, energy and talents with our patients and their families and to help our hospice team provide the level and quality of compassionate, individualized care and support that we offer in our central New Jersey hospice service area.
Hospice volunteers receive training from our staff so that they are prepared to provide patients with knowledgeable, caring companionship and compassionate emotional support. They also assist our professional staff in providing bereavement services to families; offering their skills as nurses, therapists or other health care professionals; and accomplishing a variety of essential office tasks.
Many meaningful volunteer opportunities are available with The Martin and Edith Stein Hospice:
- As companions, volunteers visit patients and families where they live—private residences, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities—to offer respite to family members and caregivers. Often a cheerful voice, an hour of conversation, quiet time spent reading or listening to music, or simply holding a hand is very soothing in the course of a long day. Over time, a volunteer and patient may develop a relationship that benefits them both. Patient companions must be mature individuals who are comfortable with the ill and elderly.
- Bereavement support is done in conjunction with our chaplain and social worker. Writing letters, helping to coordinate memorial services, offering spiritual readings and teaching practical coping techniques—as well as making therapeutic phone calls and visits—are all ways that volunteers help us take care of families for the first 13 months of bereavement after patients have died.
- Professional and complementary care can be provided to patients, staff and families by volunteers who are already trained as nurses, doctors, aides, massage therapists, aroma therapists or Reiki practitioners, or those who are skilled in other noninvasive therapies. Proof of training and/or professional certification is required.
Volunteers must complete an application and provide references. All volunteers attend an initial three-hour training session about hospice philosophy, volunteer skills and the policies and procedures of The Martin and Edith Stein Hospice. Volunteers are considered "employees" of The Martin and Edith Stein Hospice and must meet all health screening requirements. Patient companions must prove immunity to rubella and rubeola (measles and German measles) and receive annual TB tests.
If you are interested in applying to become a volunteer with The Martin and Edith Stein Hospice, please click here to fill out our application form.
