You must be at least 18 years of age to volunteer for Iowa City Hospice. The exception is our annual Walk for Dignity fundraising event. Children of all ages are encouraged to join their parents or other adult caregivers for this family friendly event.
In addition to being at least 18 year of age, Iowa City Hospice volunteers must meet training and other requirements specific to their volunteer position.
All volunteers, regardless of the support activities they are interested in providing, must:
Volunteers who want to work directly with patients and family must:
- Pass a background check
- Attend all training sessions
- Complete timesheets
- Make a one-year commitment
You may find your calling in helping with administrative tasks at our office, organizing fundraising events or educating the community about our programs.
Or your warmth and concern for people may lead you to become a patient care volunteer, where you quickly find that simple acts like sitting and talking or holding a hand have a tremendous impact on someone’s life.
See an overview of our volunteer opportunities
For those volunteers wanting to work directly with patients and families, we provide the information and confidence you need through a 14-hour training program, as approved by Medicare and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Additional training is provided for special volunteer areas such as Compassionate Touch and Pet Peace of Mind, to name a few.
On-the-job training is provided as needed for volunteer activities that do not involve direct interaction with patients and families.
Hospice volunteers who work with patients and families go wherever the patient is, including a private home, a long-term care facility or a hospital. Hospice is the type of care being provided, not the location. Other volunteers may spend their time in our office assisting with administrative or development tasks, or out in the community educating the them about Iowa City Hospice.
When you complete a volunteer application, you’ll have the chance to indicate the days and times when you are available.
There are a variety of volunteer shifts available based on patient needs and family requests.
The first step towards becoming an Iowa City Hospice volunteer is to complete a volunteer application. We’ll be in touch within a few days of receiving your application.
If you have questions about the application or any other volunteer-related concerns, please e-mail our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@iowacityhospice.org or call 800-897-3052.
