Forbes Hospice volunteers - some 225 of them - enhance the program through their selfless and tireless commitment to the patients and families we serve. Forbes Hospice has an extensive volunteer training and support program and regards volunteers as essential to carrying out its mission. Volunteers are involved in every aspect of the hospice program including inpatient care, home visiting, spiritual care, bereavement counseling, administrative support, speakers bureau and fund raising.

Do you want to become a Forbes Hospice Volunteer?

Volunteers are active in every aspect of Forbes Hospice. There are many different ways to be involved:

Patient Care Volunteers provide direct care to patients in our in-patient unit. These are the volunteers who give baths, change the linen, change the night gowns, feed the patient, get the patients ready for the day and also provid emotional support. Training is required and provided.

Home Visiting Volunteers provide emotional support and companionship to the patient and his or her family members. They provide respite care in the home by staying with a patient while the caretaker has an opportunity to take a break. They also run errands, shop or provide meals. This role is a being a "good friend" to an assigned patient and his or her family. Training is required and provided.

11th Hour Volunteers provide emotional support to patients and family members in the home or in the inpatient unit when families are in a crisis or when a family needs further assistance at the very end of life. Training is required and provided.

Nursing Home Volunteer provides emotional support and companionship to patients who live in a nursing home. Training is required and provided.

Administrative Support Volunteer offers support and assistance in the office. Simple and valuable tasks are necessary such as putting together admission packets and marketing packets, bulk mailing, computer work, answering phones, making telephone calls and assisting in the education department. No training is required.

Spiritual Care Volunteers tend to the spiritual and religious needs of our hospice community. Volunteers offer prayer, attentive listening, meditative and spiritual readings, and participate in memorial services. These volunteers work closely with our hospice chaplains. Training is required and provided.

Friends of Forbes Hospice is an auxiliary group of individuals interested in fund raising. They organize an annual fashion show and luncheon and arrange holiday fundraisers.

Teen Volunteers help in our in-patient unit under the direction of experienced volunteers and/or a nurse or home health aide. They also have opportunities to volunteer in other aspects of the volunteer program.

Bereavement Volunteers make telephone calls or visit bereaved family member, working closely with our bereavement coordinator, supporting individuals with their grieving. Some volunteers co-facilitate bereavement support groups offered throughout the community.

For more information on the volunteer program, please call Shelby Anderson at 412-325-7297 or email at sanderso@wpahs.org.