Kaiser Permanente Northwest
Hospice Volunteer Program
Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that engages your heart, mind, and spirit in caring for people in your own community? Our hospice serves the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, and Clark County, Washington.
Hold a hand. Be a presence. Join the Kaiser Permanente hospice volunteer team to provide support to families and patients as they experience a terminal illness.
Why Volunteer With Hospice?
Volunteers play a vital role on the team for Kaiser Hospice patients and their families. As valued members of the hospice team, volunteers can make a difference by providing a break for a family caregiver (called respite), visiting patients in care homes and facilities, run errands or provide some light housekeeping, or assisting staff in the office.
Volunteer Opportunities
Home Respite Visit Volunteers
Home respite volunteers visit with patients in their home so that family caregivers can take a break. Respite volunteers develop a routine and rapport with each family and patient as they provide weekly support.
Hospice Helper Volunteers
Hospice Helpers are willing to be more hands on with tasks in the home like light housekeeping, running errands/grocery shopping, light gardening, sorting tasks or special projects. Volunteers generally develop a routine and come 1 to 2 times a week .
Pet Peace of Mind
Volunteers support patients in their home by caring for their pets with activities like dog walking, cat litter box clean up or picking up food/supplies for the pet. Remote volunteers provide assistance finding re-homing resources for families in need of re-homing their pet.
Friendly Visit Volunteers
Friendly Visit volunteers provide companionship to Kaiser Hospice patients living in residential facilities such as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, or adult foster homes. Read out loud, develop a play list, talk, go for a “walk” or provide presence. Volunteers generally develop a routine and come 1 to 2 times a week for hour-long visits.
Veteran Volunteers
Veteran to Veteran, volunteers provide support and companionship. Volunteers can honor a Veteran on service by facilitating a pinning ceremony to honor service to our country
FIDO Pet-Assisted Therapy Program
This program is for hospice volunteers with dogs that are trained and certified through Pet Partners, Dove Lewis, or have up-to-date certification from an accredited pet-assisted therapy program. Volunteers and their dogs are assigned to visit patients living in facility settings only.
Bereavement Volunteers
Bereavement volunteers follow up with the family members of Kaiser Hospice after the death of their loved one. Volunteers phone family members to offer information and support about Kaiser Hospice bereavement services. Volunteering may include a time commitment of 2 to 4 hours/week.
Office Volunteers
Come into our NW northwest Portland office to support the hospice administrative team. Tasks may include: Data entry or packet preparation and mailings, assisting volunteer coordinators prepare for trainings or special projects.
FAQ's
Where do I volunteer and when?
You volunteer in your own community according to your schedule. We match you with one patient at a time and you can schedule your visits according to your availability and patient need.
Is there a training? How do I sign up?
Hospice is regulated by Medicare, which guides how you come onto hospice as a volunteer. Your first step is to fill out an on-line volunteer application here. We will invite you to a face to face interview, where we schedule a drug screen and background check. Once you clear the check, you can sign up for our 16 hour training.
As a KPNW volunteer, may I switch my role from Hospice to another program?
Switching from a Hospice to a Clinic or Hospital volunteer role must be a specific and permanent switch, as there are different requirements for participation within each program. If you are a Hospice volunteer and would like to switch or add, please contact your Program Manager to learn more.
Getting started
Step 1: Begin by filling out an online Volunteer Application Form.
Step 2: Schedule an interview.
We are now conducting either in-person or virtual interviews (Zoom or MS Teams)
Step 3: Pass Background Check & Drug Screen
Background Checks are conducted using Verified First. Drug screening follows Federal Guidelines to pass.
Step 4: Hospice Volunteer Training.
Training is offered 3x a year; and is currently a hybrid of on-line and in-person time. Total hours of training time is 14 hours to cover all topics, in-person competency training and orientation.
Our next Training Class: Thursday, September 28, 1-4pm; Friday, September 29, 10am-1pm; October 5, 1-4pm virtually; and Friday, October 6, 10am-3:30pm in-person in NE Portland.
Step 5: Health Screening
One time blood draw to cover TB screening will be arranged at a KP facility once the volunteer enrolls in the KP Employee Health system.
Call the Volunteer Program at 503-499-5168 for more information.
Contact us at hospicevolunteernw@kp.org for the most up-to-date training schedule.
What Volunteers Are Saying
“I learn so much in this hospice work — the
importance of the smallest things, the power
of touch, the importance of family and friends,
the significance of a loving pet. Watching the
people who do this work for a living with such
compassion, patience, respect, and tenderness
restores my faith in humanity. I experience what
the power of presence does.”
“After retiring I looked for an activity where
I could use my skills at listening (I did a lot of
that in my job), and to provide some relief for
those caregivers who become overwhelmed
with the burdens of caring for the dying. Little
did I realize that this activity would also enrich
my life. I have encountered so many brave,
gallant people whose amazing life stories
have had a humbling effect on me. And who
would have thought that I could come to love
one of my patients like a brother?”
More Information
While our team is made up of many volunteers, it is managed by a Manager who is committed to bringing excellence to member care experience at Hospice Volunteer Services.
Our manager is available to answer and questions you may have about the Hospice Volunteer Program and the volunteer application process.
To contact our Hospice Volunteer Program staff
Call: 503-499-5168
Email: hospicevolunteernw@kp.org
Meet the team
Hospice Volunteer Services
Email: HospiceVolunteerNW@kp.org
Phone: 503-499-5168
For current hospice volunteers to log onto our Volunteer Software, click the words below:
Current volunteers, click on the image on the left
Home respite visit volunteers
Home respite volunteers visit with patients in their home so that family caregivers can take a break. Respite volunteers develop a routine and rapport with each family and patient as they provide support.
While each situation is different, supporting a family may include:
A time commitment of up to 4 hours per week, or 2 2-hour visits per week
Emotional support to the patient, caregiver, and family
Physical assistance for a patient during visits, such as assisting in transferring or moving the patient, or assisting the patient while walking
Optional: Light housekeeping (vacuum or dishes), laundry, cooking, or other simple meal preparation
Companionship: reading a book aloud, looking at pictures, listening to music, watching a movie or TV together, or sitting outside and enjoying good weather
Caregiver may be in the home or may leave at the time of your volunteering
Providing a presence so the family feels secure leaving the patient for a few hours
Friendly Visit volunteers
Friendly Visit volunteers provide friendly visits to Kaiser Hospice patients living in residential facilities such as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, or adult foster homes. The patient’s family and friends may live far away, or the patient may not get many visitors. Volunteers generally develop a routine and come 1 to 2 times a week for hour-long visits.
Friendly Visit volunteering varies by situation and may include:
A time commitment of up to 2 1-hour visits a week
Taking patients for a walk, or assisting with walking or a wheelchair
Companionship: Reading a book aloud, looking at pictures, playing games, talking with patients about their interests and life history, listening to music, watching a movie or TV together, or sitting outside enjoying good weather
Presence: Holding the hand of a patient who is unable to communicate