Volunteer at Baystate Hospice

To become a volunteer, please download and complete our volunteer application form.

To inquire about hospice volunteer opportunities, please contact:

Lynn Landry
Hospice Volunteer Coordinator
413-798-5452
Lynn.Landry2@baystatehealth.org

Hospice Volunteers are vital members of the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team. Volunteers provide support to patients, families, and caregivers in their homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes, and /or hospital settings. Volunteers can also provide support to staff in the office, while others offer their assistance within the community, staffing tables at health fairs and providing assistance at picnics, patient gatherings, and other community events.

Baystate Hospice programs provide free, comprehensive trainings to ensure that Volunteers are comfortable with all aspects of their duties. Monthly Volunteer meetings and special in-service events are also offered throughout the year, providing both camaraderie amongst volunteers and staff, as well as more in depth trainings on a variety of topics. Special recognition events are also held throughout the year.

Volunteers are not allowed to provide personal care to patients; they cannot lift or transfer patients; they cannot feed patients; they cannot provide medication. However, what they can provide is patient and caregiver companionship, support, and respite.

The overall time commitment needed to be a volunteer is dependent upon the patient and caregiver needs; however, the Volunteer Coordinator works very closely with each Volunteer to ensure that their assignment is a good fit for their schedule and specific needs.

All Hospice Volunteers must be interviewed, complete an application with two references, be medically cleared, pass a background check and pass a Nurse’s Aide Registry check. The applicant will be required to complete a comprehensive training program, and can then begin their volunteer service.

Attendance at monthly Hospice meetings is not required; however, volunteers are encouraged to attend these meetings when they are able to do so. Hospice meetings are held at three locations –East, Central and West areas.

Types of Volunteer Opportunities Available

Companion Volunteers

Companion volunteers provide patient and caregiver companionship&emdash;playing cards, reminiscing, sharing a hobby, reading a book, poem or prayer, or watching a movie. They are also available to be a quiet and reassuring presence, as needed. Bilingual volunteers are always needed, as well!

Vet-to-Vet Volunteers

Vet-to-vet volunteers are a group of Veteran Volunteers who provide companionship and support to fellow veterans. Baystate Hospice is a proud member of the We Honor Veterans program, a program of the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization. We provide all veteran patients with a special Certificate of Appreciation, service pin, and other recognition at veteran holidays and our patient memorial service. We provide veterans to visit with other veterans to provide an extra level of trust and comfort at this critical time of life.

Respite Volunteers

Respite volunteers visit with a patient to provide respite to caregivers, allowing the caregiver to run an errand, go to an appointment, enjoy an hour away, or have peace of mind that a volunteer is sitting with their loved one at a skilled nursing facility or hospital when they cannot.

Vigil Volunteers

Vigil volunteers provide bedside vigils with patients so that they are not alone at their end of life, either in a hospital or skilled nursing facility setting.

Complementary Therapy Volunteers

Complementary therapy volunteers are certified or trained in Reiki, Healing Touch, Energy Work, and Massage Therapy.

Licensed Hairdresser Volunteers

Licensed hairdresser volunteers provide haircuts for patients who can no longer get to their own hairdresser.

Pet Therapy, Music Therapy, and Art Therapy Volunteers

These volunteers all bring comfort to patients and caregivers by offering these special gifts.

Vigil Choir Volunteers

Heartsong Choir provides bedside singing, a capella, to patients and caregivers, bringing peace and harmony at end of life.

Eucharistic Minister Volunteers

Eucharistic minister volunteers provide communion to those who can no longer attend church services.

Office Volunteers

Office volunteers provide support to staff by performing general office duties—mailings, phone calls, data entry, and a variety of other special projects.

Bereavement Volunteers

Bereavement volunteers are specially trained to offer phone call support to patients and families.

Legal Volunteers

Attorneys provide services to assist patients and caregivers – examples include assistance with obtaining Power of Attorney or guardianship for loved ones.

Floral Volunteers

Floral volunteers arrange the flowers, donated by a local florist, into bouquets that can then be brought to patients and caregivers by our staff and other volunteers.