Volunteer Services

Make a Difference in Someone’s Life...

Homestead Hospice provides comfort care to patients who are on life's most important journey. Our volunteer programs make a difference in the lives of individuals and families. If you have free time and would like to volunteer, please visit https://homesteadhospicevolunteers.vikus.net/. Together, we can assist patients and families and make a bigger difference in their lives.

We Honor Veterans Program

At Homestead Hospice we are committed to those who have served the country as a member of the armed forces. We have several programs that provide special honor and praise to veterans for their time and dedication. Homestead is proud to offer We Honor Veterans, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) that is run in collaboration with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA).

Veteran-to-Veteran Healing

The Veteran-to-Veteran program pairs a Homestead’s veteran volunteer with a hospice patient who has been identified as a veteran. Once the veterans are paired together, they will have the unique opportunity to connect and share their stories. The friendship created between both veterans has proven to be supportive for all involved.

Three-Point Tribute to Veterans

Pinning Ceremony

A volunteer veteran pins a veteran in hospice for their service with a lapel pin that reads, "We thank you for your service."
Certificate of Service

A Homestead volunteer presents a certificate that notes the hospice veteran’s name, rank and branch of service. The certificate is matted and framed and signed by staff to show appreciation of the service given to our country.
Quilts of Valor

Through a partnership with Quilts of Valor Foundation a Homestead volunteer presents a quilt to combat veterans as an additional measure of comfort. The Quilts of Valor provides the veterans with a three-part message: honor, appreciation, and comfort. It thanks them for their service and the willingness to leave all that they hold dear to stand in harm’s way.

Midnight Angels

Homestead believes that no one should die alone and through this belief and philosophy the Midnight Angels volunteer program was established. Midnight Angels provide a supportive, peaceful presence in the patients home or facility during the final hours of life. While sadness is usually a part of someone’s passing, a Midnight Angels presence can provide the heartwarming gesture of holding a hand or quietly listening to past memories to validate the whole life of a person. When there is no need for critical care measures and death is near, a Midnight Angel will be there with you and your loved one through the end of life's journey.

Homestead Midnight Angels:

A – Association of

N – Nice People

G – Giving

E –End of

L – Life

S – Support

Midnight Angels Education

Midnight Angels volunteers are taught to develop relationships with the patient and their family and to understand and know when to be present and when to step out of the room. Although Midnight Angels do not provide medical support, they provide comfort care like placing a soothing hand on the brow of a loved one or gently swabbing their lips with a moist cloth.

Nurturing Arts

Connecting the Mind, Body & Spirit

We offer alternative therapies of a holistic nature that can engage and improve quality of life. By addressing the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of a patient, we add an extra dimension of care to Homestead’s commitment to providing best practices in hospice and palliative services. Various therapeutic interventions such as music, art, exercise and theater will assist the patient with self-expression.

Art

The power of creativity is monumental and it can help deal with life’s issues. It helps to build a renewed sense of life satisfaction while also providing a safe way to explore.

Loss
Depression
Anxiety
Changes in health

Dance

For older adults, dancing can be very therapeutic. Dance therapy provides a supportive environment for the patient to express their feelings and share life experiences through movement.

Exercise

As people age, they may become restricted in their movement due to an illness or symptoms of their disease. To help the patient stay limber and to alleviate pain, Homestead offers several forms of exercise that can be managed with limited mobility.

Tai chi
Yoga
Chair aerobics

Music

Music therapy can have many positive results... especially for those patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s. In numerous clinical studies of older adults with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, familiar music has reduced depression, lessened agitation and increased sociability, movement, and cognitive ability.

Theatrical

Watching a performance as simple as a puppet show can awaken the mind and bring a healing laughter.

Puppetry
Storytelling
Magic
Clowns

For more information on any the Homestead volunteer or Nurturing Arts programs, or if you are interested in becoming a Homestead volunteer, please visit our volunteer hiring page.