In her own words – Rebecca, Volunteer Coordinator

We asked Rebecca what it means to be a Volunteer Coordinator in hospice care. This is what she shared.

What is a Volunteer Coordinator’s role in hospice?

Volunteer Coordinators are responsible for recruiting, qualifying, training, and integrating volunteers into patient and family partnerships. We wear many hats, often managing our annual food drive, serving as We Honor Veterans Program and social media champions, and initiating community activities that help us recruit volunteers and receive patient referrals.

What role do volunteers play?

Our volunteers provide an invaluable service to our patients and their families by offering an extra layer of physical, emotional, and spiritual support during their end-of-life journey. They show up at the most difficult time in someone’s life and demonstrate love and compassion to all. They are not just willing hands and feet, but also the heart of hospice, working to make even a small difference in the lives of our patients and caregivers. There is nothing more selfless than to work in the service of others.

Can you share a memorable experience?

After nearly 20 years, there are simply too many experiences to point to just one. Most memorable are the laughter-through-tears moments that make the difference in a caregiver getting through one more minute, hour, or day. Also, being the first to thank a Vietnam Veteran or Tuskegee Airman for their military service. Reaching an Alzheimer’s patient who no longer has the ability to communicate. Recruiting a volunteer who becomes a treasured friend, then patient. Making a stroke victim laugh, out loud. Making a cancer patient feel beautiful again.

On one occasion, our volunteers, staff, medical director, and community donated beyond all expectations to grant a wish – a wedding for an Alzheimer’s patient who not only forgot she was married, but also lost all evidence, pictures, and references in a hurricane. We helped give her family a treasured memory, granting her husband’s wish for a wedding they didn’t have the first time. She was transformed into a beautiful, blushing bride that Alzheimer’s could not steal away. It was a gift to be able to hand her a new wedding album each month before Alzheimer's took her away entirely.

Why should someone choose to volunteer in hospice?

There is never a better time to have an eternal impact than at the end of someone’s life.

What qualities do you look for in a volunteer?

Willingness – everyone has the ability, but not all are willing to give their time.

If you have questions about hospice care, please contact us at 888-436-8482. Interested in joining our incredible team? Visit https://careers.gentivahs.com. Or if you feel called to volunteer your time to deserving patients and families, tell us about yourself at https://www.gentivahs.com/careers/volunteers.