Janet Pearce, Palliative Care Volunteer Coordinator, is keen to hear from people interested in volunteering and who would like to provide companionship and support to palliative care patients and their carers.
Palliative Care Volunteers provide support to patients in hospital as well as patients who live in the community. In the hospital setting, ‘Dementia / Delirium and Palliative Care Volunteers’ visit patients to provide companionship, support and diversional activities for short and long term in-patients. Community Palliative Care Volunteers dedicate two to three hours weekly to visit people who live at home with life limiting illness and support their carers.
Applications are also sought from people interested in volunteering with the Palliative Care Biography Service. This role requires a genuine interest to visit and record a patient story, have time to allocate, and very good listening and computer skills.
As it is important to have the most suitable people volunteering in the palliative care setting, there is an application and recruitment process. Selection involves an interview, health assessment and police checks followed by attendance at Induction Training prior to placement with a patient in hospital or in the community.
If you believe you have good communication skills (specifically excellent listening skills), are warm, empathetic and compassionate and have a desire to volunteer with palliative care services, please contact Janet Pearce, Community Palliative Care Volunteer Coordinator on 0428 913 303 or by email at janet.pearce@health.nsw.gov.au