Compassionate Care... Freely Given

Our volunteers come from all walks of life and from all segments of the community. Some come to us with a desire to give back to the community or a personal calling to do hospice work. Others have directly benefited from the services of Hospice of Santa Barbara.  To become a Hospice of Santa Barbara Volunteer call 805-563-8820 or email our Volunteer Services Department.

Administrative Volunteers assist with a variety of Hospice of Santa Barbara projects and other routine office work.

Patient Care Volunteers provide companionship, respite care, transportation, household help and support to our patients and clients.

All Patient Care Volunteers are required to complete a comprehensive training which includes an initial 6 week course, two full days of advance training, and ongoing education and training.

Our Patient Care Volunteers may also be trained to provide additional services, including:

Compassionate Care Visitors	The Compassionate Care Visitor program, a unique collaboration between Cottage Health Systems, Hospice of Santa Barbara, and Visiting Nurses & Hospice Care, provides support to hospital patients who are terminally or seriously ill and their loved ones.
Spiritual Companions	Spiritual Companions support patients/clients and their families in their spiritual journeys. This special group of volunteers completes a year-long intensive training program.
Pet Therapy	The Pet Therapy program provides pet visits to patients in their homes or residential locations. Owners of these "certified" animals accompany their pets.
Life Reminiscence	Specially trained Patient Care Volunteers work with patients to create scrap books, audio recordings and journal writings that preserves memories, and leave a lasting legacy for others.

The skills and attributes we seek in a volunteer are:

• Compassion and caring
• The ability to listen well
• Friendliness and open-mindedness
• Sensitivity to others
• A healthy perspective on grief and loss
• The ability to express yourself well.

If this sounds like you, we'd love to talk with you about how you can help. To learn more about volunteering please contact Dana VanderMey or to learn about becoming a mentor contact Joy Janssen at (805) 563-8820.