Become a Hospice Volunteer in Alameda County

At Sutter Care at Home Hospice the greatest gift one can offer is your time and willingness to be present. Training and ongoing support are provided to all volunteers, no experience required. Volunteers are trained to enhance the overall goal of meeting the emotional and practical needs of hospice patients and their families. It's a great opportunity to serve others while learning new skills and enhancing existing ones. Volunteers may visit with the patient, to give caregivers a much needed break, or they can be a caring companion and compassionate listener to both patients and families. Volunteers can sit by the bedside with compassion, meeting people where they are at that day; they talk, play music, card games, look through photo albums with patients, do art projects, watch TV and more. While volunteers cannot provide clinical or personal care, they may be able to assist with routine tasks and errands. ** And we are always in need of certified massage therapists, Reiki practitioners and those with certified therapy or comfort animals** Requirements: Volunteers must be 21 years of age and older, they receive 10 hours of self-paced, online training, plus ongoing training (optional) and support, a health clearance and a background check through Sutter Health. Our volunteers are required to receive a TB (Tuberculin) skin test or blood test, provide immunization records, consent to a criminal background check, and submit a copy of current driver’s license and auto insurance. Sutter will provide health screening and any necessary tests or vaccinations. A minimum of 1-2 hours of volunteering per week and a 1 year commitment is required. Volunteers work closely with Volunteer Program Coordinator as members of the hospice team, attending monthly support meetings (not mandatory) and visit their patient once or more times per week. For more information on application and upcoming training, please contact: Jenn Fisher Sutter Care at Home Hospice Cell: 650-454-4372 Email: Jennifer.Fisher@sutterhealth.org