Being a hospice volunteer is very rewarding. I've done this for over a year now and I've met  some interesting people, and gotten to know them just by listening to their stories and reminiscences. I hope I have helped to make a difference in their lives.

~Kathy

Being a Hospice Volunteer has given me back as much as I have given, if not more.  It has allowed me to be Blessed by the gratitude and thankfulness from so many families, who without our efforts as volunteers, would have had a more difficult road to walk during a time that is both trying and stressful.

Volunteering has been one of the most wonderful things that I have done in my life.  Most of us have lost a loved one to cancer or a dreadful disease, which in turn has allowed us to have a glimpse of  understand as to what our families might be going through. Offering love, understanding , kindness and a gentle touch to those in need is one of the most wonderful gifts that we can offer someone less fortunate than us....and indeed it is so very much appreciated by our assigned patients and families.

~Jan Marie

The biggest misconception about being a Hospice volunteer is that it involves making some big sacrifice. It is, in fact, immensely rewarding to the volunteer.  You immediately begin to feel that there is more meaning and purpose in your life.  We all have a tendency to invest too much importance in the mundane irritations and dramas of daily life.  Hospice work is a big help in keeping these things in perspective. 

Hospice patients and their caregivers usually drop most or all of the pretense and role playing that characterize most human interactions. Forming wonderful friendships is so easy as to be almost unavoidable in this situation.  It is a privilege and an honor to do this work.

~Greg

Being a hospice volunteer is the most life affirming experience I've ever known. My personal experiences as a hospice volunteer have enriched my life. Our culture has alienated and separated the death experience, so that dying has become something that everybody fears; yet, it is something that every one of us will eventually experience.

Spending time with a person who is dying is meaningful in so many ways. Just "being there" helps the person who is dying. Often, the patient wants and needs to talk.S/he wants to know that his/her life has been worthwhile. I appreciate the seriousness of the conversations that happen near the end of life: there is simply no time for nonsense. It is all very real. Honesty prevails.

As a hospice volunteer, I can help affirm another person's existence. Sometimes, I view my role as a "midwife" to the dying. I am there to bring knowledge, caring, and a sense of calm. My life has been fundamentally changed since I became a hospice volunteer. I have found resources and wells of emotion and feeling that I did not know I had. I view the death experience as a natural part of the life cycle. I truly believe that how we die is a legacy that we leave for others.

~Robin

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