Being a Hospice Volunteer
It is because of the incredible compassion, diversity, skills and enthusiasm of our Hospice volunteers that we are able to offer our programs at no cost to the residents of the Sunshine Coast.
Without these volunteers, our work would not be possible.
Being a Coast Hospice volunteer is a fulfilling and meaningful experience which offers you the opportunity to support individuals and families during difficult times. A Hospice volunteer can be an essential part of the care team that supports families as they plan, face end-of-life or grieve the loss of a loved one.
To hear a local perspective on being a volunteer, continue reading and learn from Haley Armitage, a young mother of two who dedicates copious amounts of time to Coast Hospice and its clients.
Haley Armitages Experience as a Hospice Volunteer
When a family member passed away at the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown, Haley Armitage realized how "being open about the end of life is important for everyone, not only for the people who are passing but also for the loved ones left behind."
The experience motivated the mother of two young children to get involved with Coast Hospice, even though she nor anyone in her family had ever used its services.
In three years (so far) of volunteering, Haley has found many ways to help: at hospice events and in the office, as one of four facilitators for The Circle, a twice-weekly drop-in group for people with a life-limiting illness and their caregivers, and as a one-on-one companion for someone dying or experiencing loss.
"I also sit vigil with people who are at the end of life. The family can go home to shower or rest, and they can be called if there’s a big change." And for family members who live off the Coast, volunteers who offer vigils provide peace of mind.
—Haley Armitage with her beloved Olive
"When people tell us they don't want to be alone when they die, we are entrusted to follow through and be at their side until the end. It is an honour."
The skills, relationships and insights Hospice volunteers like Haley develop can help in other settings too, contributing to a spirit of compassion on the Coast. Family and friends now turn to Haley with their questions about dying, death and grief.
"It could be practical, like how to get my mother into long-term care. Or something profound, such as how to talk to my four-year-old about their grandfather dying? I don't always have answers, but at least I know where those answers might be."
Haley is one of more than 85 trained volunteers who deliver our programs and services every day across the Coast. From tending the garden at Hospice House to providing respite, volunteers are essential to Coast Hospice supporting individuals facing the end of life or families grieving the loss of a loved one.
"You can do a lot of different things as a volunteer. It does not have to be that one thing that might be too scary," says Haley.
"End of life doesn't only have to do with your medical or religious needs, and people can find those things elsewhere. Hospice encompasses all our needs at the end of life."
Apply to volunteer today:
For more information, contact our Volunteer Coordinator at (604) 740-0475 Ext. 4.
We are grateful to the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary for its continued funding of our volunteer orientation and learning events.