What are the benefits of volunteering?

   Your offer of time and support may be the decisive factor enabling a person to stay in our
    hospice, where they can receive quality care in an environment specifically designed for him
    or her
   You will become part of a friendly supportive team. You will increase your personal
    development.
   You will learn practical skills that you can use to help your family and friends.
   You will meet many memorable and inspiring people.
   It is an easy way to give valuable help to your community
   You will find that volunteering is personally and deeply rewarding.


What do volunteers do for hospices?

Volunteering is crucial to the hospice movement in Canada. This movement would not survive without the extraordinary commitment given by volunteers. Men and women from all walks of life give their time and energy to support their local community hospice.


What are the volunteers roles?

   Volunteer Caregiver
   Cook
   Administration
   Cleaner
   Driver
   Complementary therapist
   Fundraising/ Event Planning Coordinator
   Committee Work

Who can be a volunteer?

   Eighteen years of age or over in good mental and physical health
   Strong motivation for wanting to work at Perram House
   Genuine altruistic caring for people
   Non-judgmental attitude and respect for the beliefs of others
   Good communication and listening skills
   Ability to respect confidences and privacy
   Willingness to learn, to accept guidance and to work as a team member
   Emotional maturity and an ability to cope with people experiencing suffering
   Dependability, flexibility, honesty
   A sense of humor
   A healthy attitude toward one’s own mortality
   A source of spiritual and emotional support in one’s life

As part of our duty of care to our residents we request that all volunteers agree to a police check and provide a negative TB test report.

We do not take volunteers who have experienced the death of a close friend or family member within the last 13 months. It is important that they process that loss before working in a hospice environment.

What caregivig tasks are involved ?

   Practical help where appropriate, like shopping, assistance with feeding, giving light massages
   Relief for the caregiver or family member, to enable them to have 'time out' to rest, work,
    do errands, or just take a break.
   Creative and recreational activities with our residents.
   Support to visitors and family members
   Accompanying residents to medical appointments
   Transport patients to the hospice and hospital appointments.
   Sitting with residents for companionship
   Helping hands to assist the nursing staff with comfort and personal care of residents
   Support to residents through listening, asking questions, enabling individuals to express
    their concerns and feelings, and find their own meaning.  

It takes 42 Volunteer Caregivers to support the residents in our 8-bed hospice. We have 3 shifts per day; 9-1, 1-5 and 5-9 with 2 volunteers on each shift. The volunteer caregivers support the Registered Nurse and Personal Support Worker to give full care to our residents.

What is the commitment expected of a volunteer?
We ask our volunteer caregivers to make a commitment to us for one year, doing one 4-hour shift per week (minus holidays).