Responsibilities:

• Volunteers must complete the Hospice PEI Volunteer Training Course. They will also receive additional training on the grief process.

• Volunteers will be assigned a family member to journey with by a personal visit or a phone call once a month for a six month period. The coordinator will provide the volunteer with patient/family information.

• Volunteers will keep a confidential written summary of call or visit and report to coordinator once a month. This reporting will include their volunteer time. At the conclusion of the assignment, the volunteer will sign, date and submit the written Bereavement Follow Up form to coordinator for filing.

• Volunteers must sign a Declaration of Confidentiality and maintain strict confidentiality in dealing with the bereaved family and Hospice PEI information.

• Volunteers must identify themselves as a Hospice Volunteer and wear name badge when visiting a bereaved family member.

Duties:

• Be an empathetic listener by responding appropriately.

• Inform the bereaved of services available in their community e.g. grief support groups, clergy, professionals etc.

• Be well informed of normal and complicated grief.

• Provide information on normal grief, energy required to grieve and factors that influence the duration and intensity of grief.

• Inform coordinator of suspected complicated grief or any other concerns.

Please read on for more information on becoming a volunteer.