A little of your time can mean so much.
Volunteer with Journey Hospice.
There are many ways to provide assistance as a volunteer at Journey Hospice. By sharing your time and/or special skills, you can bring comfort and joy to our patients and their families. Individuals and families facing end-of-life events are often overwhelmed with the quantity of time and effort involved in caring for a family member. They need help beyond what the professional care team can provide. If you have a passion for helping others, please consider volunteering in any of the following ways:
- Visiting with patients (talking, listening, reading, playing games or engaging in an activity)
- Sewing or Crafting (sew memory bears and fidget blankets and/or knit hats and blankets)
- Assisting Office Staff
- Providing support to caregivers (running errands, helping with simple chores)
- Veteran-to-Veteran volunteering (reminisce with veteran patients by sharing stories and experiences)
* Volunteers are not there to provide any type of nursing care or home health aid care.
**Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.
If you would like to become a Journey Hospice volunteer, please complete the volunteer application or contact us for more information. Call (609) 760-6073 or email journeyinfo@lsmnj.org
The Beauty of Volunteering for Journey
Some may say that there is an art to volunteering. Selflessly giving of your time and energy to better the lives of others is an effort that should not be taken for granted. Journey Hospice knows the magnitude that the kindness of volunteers has on its patients.
Journey Hospice volunteer, Sharon Fish discovered her passion for volunteering when she witnessed a family friend experience the benefits of hospice volunteer services. “By spending quality time with patients, I feel like I’m doing a good thing for them. If there is any way that I can brighten their spirits and help the patient’s families, that is what I want to be doing,” said Sharon.
Her friends and family will often remark that they don’t know how she volunteers for hospice. Sharon will simply reply, “It’s not what you think! As a volunteer for Journey, you can do what you feel most comfortable doing. Just being there for patients and being willing to give of your time is all you really need to do.”
When Sharon visits her patients, they spend time reading bible verses, taking walks, sharing stories and watching television. Each patient is different and so the level at which they are able to participate in activities and conversation will vary.
Her advice to those considering becoming a volunteer, “If you enjoy being with people, just give it a try! It has been a wonderful experience for me and it could be for you too!”
Veteran to Veteran Volunteering
Journey Hospice is searching for veterans to volunteer and serve fellow veterans as they face their end-of-life journey. We are looking for veterans, both men and women of any branch of service, who would enjoy spending time sharing experiences with fellow veterans who are receiving hospice care, speaking about historical events, participating in veteran-related recognition, and assisting veterans’ families with information and support. 
Veteran volunteers receive training by Journey Hospice to ensure they are familiar with each patient’s end-of-life needs and interests. This allows the volunteer to find common interests that provide meaningful interactions with the patient and inspire relevant conversations with their loved ones. Veteran volunteers often help patients revive and recapture positive memories and that can be passed on to their families.
Assistance veteran volunteers can provide include:
- Visit or call veteran hospice patients, reminisce by sharing stories, experiences, photos and historical events
- Read, listen to music or play cards with patients
- Share information with families that may include eligible veteran benefits, ceremonial traditions, or emotional veteran-related support
- Attend or plan activities celebrating veteran holidays and events
- Educate veterans’ groups about hospice services by speaking at their meetings
- Help replace lost military medals by contacting appropriate agencies
Veteran volunteers are not only an essential component in the delivery of end-of-life care for those who have served our nation, but also to families who may find comfort in sharing their loved ones similar experiences with volunteers.
What it Means to the Veteran Hospice Patient
Our veteran patients appreciate the camaraderie of those who have shared similar experiences, even if they served during a different time or location. It fills them with a sense of pride and a feeling of comfort and calmness – thus enhancing their quality of life. They are thankful for the way veteran volunteers are able to empathize with them on a level that the Journey Hospice team and their family and friends may be unable to.
The Benefits of Being a Hospice Veteran Volunteer
Being a veteran volunteer for Journey Hospice can be the most rewarding experience of your life and give you a deeper sense of community. Our volunteers have expressed the pride they feel by giving back to others. They enjoy the flexibility of choosing the number of hours they complete each month and the ways in which they can provide their assistance. We provide mileage reimbursement for any travel incurred when visiting patients.
If you would like to be a Journey Hospice veteran volunteer, please contact us at (609) 380-4302 or email journeyinfo@lsmnj.org. Those interested in volunteering will need to submit a volunteer application, submit to the proper screenings, and complete volunteer training.