Palliative Care Volunteers

How to become a volunteer

What is the palliative care volunteer's role?

The volunteer's role is to strengthen the ability of the ill person, and his/her family and friends to live as fully and as richly as possible.

Palliative care volunteers provide

• provide comfort and support to people and families living with a life-limiting illness in the home, hospital, hospices, residential aged care facilities and palliative care units
• provide contact with families through the time of bereavement following death

Volunteers may be involved in

• listening
• providing emotional support
• assisting at mealtimes
• helping with transport/outings
• respite care
• maintaining contact with the family
• bereavement counselling

Who is a palliative care volunteer?

A palliative care volunteer is a person who:-

• is 18 years or older
• receives training and ongoing support
• enjoys meeting people
• is comfortable being with someone who has a life-limiting illness
• is an important and integral part of the palliative care team
• want to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of those who visit
• non-judgemental

Recruitment, Selection & Responsibilities

Volunteers are selected and trained by individual palliative care organisations.

Orientation includes such topics as listening skills, communication, loss & grief, self-care, understanding of life-limiting illnesses, the dying process, bereavement.

Volunteers are unpaid and give their time to provide a caring service for other people.

Despite their volunteer status, they are members of the Palliative Care Team, bound by the same professional standards of ethics and privacy.

Where can I volunteer?

Volunteers work where palliative care is provided.

Palliative care is provided, if possible, where the ill person wants to be.

Therefore, you may like to volunteer at a hospital, hospice, residential aged care facility or in the home.

Volunteers are supported by the Volunteer Manager/Coordinator and are covered by insurance.

How to become a volunteer?

If you would like to find more about becoming a palliative care volunteer please contact

the Palliative Care Council of South Australia Inc on (08) 8291 4137 or email pallcare@pallcare.asn.au

Resources & Tools

Links

Volunteering SA
www.volunteeringsa.org.au
Volunteering Australia
www.volunteeringaustralia.org
GoVolunteerNational Palliative Care Program
www.govolunteer.com.au

Conferences & Seminars

2010 Palliative Care Volunteers Conference
"Searching for Balance"
20-21st May 2010
Stamford Plaza, Nth Terrace, Adelaide
Click here for Brochure.
Click here for Registration form.

Volunteer Conference 2008 Page

Training

Training Information Link