Needs From: United Way of Southwest Michigan

Are you a compassionate person who would enjoy spending one-on-one time with a Hospice patient in need? Corewell Health Hospice is seeking volunteers to provide companionship to Hospice patients who reside in nursing homes as well as their own homes. Volunteers may choose to go to a patient’s home while their caregiver leaves for a short time, or can visit patients in nursing homes to offer company and friendship. Volunteers sit with patients and talk, hear about their lives, play games, listen to music or just provide quiet company. No medical training is required. Hours are flexible can be tailored to a volunteer’s availability. Your presence provides comfort and support to the patients and their caregivers at a difficult time in their lives and is a deeply rewarding experience. For more information call (269) 429-7100 and ask for the Volunteer Coordinator.

Caring Circle, a Lakeland Affiliate, is in need of volunteer Facilitators for our Speak for Yourself -Plan Your Care Program.  We are seeking volunteers who, after training, would be comfortable guiding people and their loved ones through a conversation about the type of care they would want if they were not able to speak for themselves. These conversations would be with people who have been referred to the program and wish to participate.  The Speak for Yourself – Plan Your Care Program aims to help people have these conversations before a crisis, so they and their families have peace of mind and can feel confident about what their loved one would want if a situation arises. The program is based on the idea that effective advance care planning is a process of communication that helps individuals:

All training will be provided. At the end of training, volunteers will have all the tools necessary to confidently walk someone through recording their wishes. For more information, call Julie Griffin at 269-429-7100

Caring Circle is part of Spectrum Health Lakeland, which requires all staff and volunteers to have COVID and Flu vaccinations, or approved exemptions.

Corewell Health and Palliative Care is seeking teams of pet therapy dogs and their humans who can visit with patients in locations including the Hanson Hospice Center, nursing homes, and patients' homes. Interacting with therapy animals provides relaxation and companionship for patients, and increases their quality of life. Our four-legged volunteers must be certified by Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Therapy Dogs International, or an equivalent organization in order to visit with patients. For more information about getting involved with Caring Circle please contact us at (269) 429-7100.

Volunteers who are current Registered Nurses are needed to assist the Caring Circle team with providing COVID and Flu vaccines to our home-bound patients.  Volunteers must be willing to travel to patient homes and administer vaccines independently.  CPR, vaccine delivery, and other training will be provided as needed.

Caring Circle is part of Spectrum Health Lakeland, which requires all staff and volunteers to have COVID and Flu vaccinations, or approved exemptions.

Are you a compassionate person who would enjoy spending one-on-one time with a Hospice patient in need? Corewell Health Hospice and Palliative Care is seeking volunteers to provide companionship to Hospice patients who reside in nursing homes as well as their own homes. Volunteers may choose to go to a patient’s home while their caregiver leaves for a short time, or can visit patients in nursing homes to offer company and friendship. Volunteers sit with patients and talk, hear about their lives, play games, listen to music or just provide quiet company. No medical training is required. Hours are flexible can be tailored to a volunteer’s availability. Your presence provides comfort and support to the patients and their caregivers at a difficult time in their lives and is a deeply rewarding experience. For more information call (269) 429-7100 and ask for the Volunteer Coordinator.

Do you like cleaning and helping people? Hospice patients and their families sometimes struggle to complete household tasks such as dishes, tidying, vacuuming, and yard work like raking.  This is a great opportunity for helping a hospice patient and their family so the caregivers can focus on physically caring for the patient. Hours are flexible and arranged between the patient and volunteer at your convenience. Helping families with patients near the end of life is a deeply rewarding experience.  As part of Corewell Health, we do require some training, TB testing, and annual flu vaccine. 

The Corewell Health Hanson Hospice Center is seeking friendly volunteers to greet visitors at the front desk. The Hanson Center houses Hospice patients who are not able to live in their own homes or other facilities, and many friends and family members come to visit patients.  Reception assistance is needed to work in addition to staff during lunch breaks during the week, and during evening and weekend hours.  The Reception volunteer unlocks the doors, provides a friendly greeting to these visitors and helps them find where they’re going, as well as answers phone calls to the main desk. Please contact Vita for more information at vita.benson@spectrumhealth.org or (269) 408-2262.

Caring Circle is part of Corewell Health, which requires all staff and volunteers to have a Flu vaccination or approved exemption. Fingerprinting and TB testing also required.