8 Simple Ways to Recruit Volunteers for Hospice

Are you looking for the best way to recruit volunteers for hospice? If YES, here are 8 best and simple ways to recruit volunteers for hospice.

Hospice volunteers are known to play very important roles in improving patients’ end-of-life experiences. They provide a human connection to patients within a particularly vulnerable time in their lives.

For a good number of hospice organizations, putting together a volunteer program is more than just a fad—it is a requirement.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), all Medicare-certified hospice establishments are mandated to have a hospice volunteer program in place and also make use of volunteers for at least 5% of patient care hours, although CMS temporarily put aside that requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Have it in mind that a well organised hospice volunteer program starts with an understanding of the unique and multifaceted role hospice volunteers play.

By providing a vast range of support functions, volunteers are allowed to establish good relationships with hospice patients and their families.

Also have it in mind that they assist with a range of tasks, from offering bedside support to helping patients with the activities of daily living.

However, note that their duties can vary between organizations, making it very necessary for volunteers to understand the unique role they play within their particular organization.

Recruiting volunteers can be a very challenging task. Although it may be tempting to just welcome any volunteer who expresses interest, volunteers are never expected to be selected mainly based on convenience.

Hospice volunteering is a critical and delicate practice, and the volunteer selection process should be handled with care. To ensure you do it right, here are simple ways to source volunteers for Hospice in the United States;

How to Recruit Volunteers for Hospice

1. Use a Service that Connects Nonprofits and Volunteers

Have it in mind that there are websites and services in the United States that connect nonprofits and potential volunteers. These sites include;

• VolunteerMatch
• Benevity
• JustServe
• Taproot Plus
• Catchafire

2. Use a Volunteer Coordinator

To free hospital staff from the challenge of volunteer recruitment and management, a good number of organizations choose to identify a designated volunteer coordinator. This position can be filled by an existing employee or an outside hire.

Note that the duty of a volunteer coordinator is to oversee every part of the volunteer team, including recruitment, onboarding, and scheduling.

These experts will more or less reach out to local churches, senior centers, and retirement communities to help identify interested volunteers.

These include people with time, compassion, and a willingness to serve hospice patients. Although some individuals may be discouraged by the thought of supporting patients during their final months of life, countless others find the process deeply rewarding.

3. Ask Who You Know

If you have email subscribers, and Facebook fans, and Twitter followers, and so on, then you can also source volunteers. Have it in mind that all of these people, whether they add up to 100 or 100,000, are already engaged with your cause in some way, and they are just the people to ask for help!

Maybe most of the people on your email list are just waiting for the opportunity to help you to put together your ideas and materials, provide marketing support, or work an event.

If you can be willing to ask others to fundraise on your behalf, then you should also be open to the idea of asking friends and family to volunteer.

4. Clubs/Groups

Note that the Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus, Rotary Clubs, and other organizations around town can be a very direct and unique place to find volunteers.

Take your time to make a list of the groups and clubs that meet in your community and see if their members have any interest in volunteering for hospice.

5. Leverage High School Organizations

Don’t forget that high school students are a wonderful resource for potential volunteers! In the United States, a good number of schools these days have mandatory volunteer hours for students and it is a great resource to tap into.

Nothing looks better on a high school student’s college application than a vast range of volunteer opportunities. High school organizations to check include;

• Local school districts
• Athletic Teams
• National Charity Leagues
• Key Club
• National Honour Society

6. College Campuses

Have it in mind that Community service is a huge part of college life for many students. Most often, colleges and universities will have volunteer fairs and leadership departments to aid coordinate the process.

Or, some college programs will mandate field experience for credit or graduation. Ensure to contact colleges in your area to tap into this resource.

• Visit your local university or college’s community service center
• Reach out to volunteer coordinators for the athletic department at your local University
• Connect with local Sororities and Fraternities who are looking to fill philanthropy requirement

7. Create a Volunteer Recruitment Campaign

Setting aside time to recruit volunteers on a daily or weekly basis coupled with managing other aspects of hospice care can be tough. You can designate a time of year to have a campaign just focused on volunteer recruitment and awareness.

Note that this recruitment campaign can be as simple as sending out an email to your list, posting on social media, and updating your website for a short amount of time.

Additionally, you could spend an entire month surveying, collecting stories, highlighting veteran volunteers, making attractive materials, and more.

You can even have virtual volunteer hangouts online, or host a couple of in-person meetups to know your volunteers and also meet each of them.

8. Check Out Corporations

A good number of big companies in the United States envisage volunteering as a way of giving back to the community. What corporations are headquartered or have offices/stores in your city?

Take your time to research and get in touch with these companies to see if they have a program in place. This could be a wonderful way to get volunteers with specific skills.

Conclusion

As America’s elderly population grows, hospice organizations will have to take certain steps to ensure they are prepared to continue offering service to those who require it.

However, expanding facilities and sourcing additional employees and volunteers can be challenging, and growing demand can exert pressure on organizations to lower their care standards.

Nonetheless, substantial hospice training for new and seasoned volunteers alike helps ensure you have a knowledgeable, trusted team of volunteers all the time.