Volunteering in palliative care allows you to offer your time and energy to those in need while experiencing personal growth and making a positive impact on the lives of patients and their families.
Mercy Palliative Care is a community based palliative care service available to people living in the cities Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton, Moonee Valley, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham, who have a life limiting illness and require palliative care. Our volunteers work with patients, their families and friends. They offer support, companionship and respite in the patient’s own home or in hospital.
Why Volunteer in Palliative Care?
Making a Difference: You have the opportunity to provide comfort, companionship, and emotional support to individuals facing life-limiting illnesses, making their journey more dignified and less lonely.
Personal Growth: Volunteering in this field can help you develop empathy, compassion, and communication skills, which are valuable in various aspects of life.
Fulfillment: Knowing that you’ve eased someone’s suffering and improved their quality of life during their final days can be deeply satisfying.
Learning: You can gain insights into end-of-life care, healthcare systems, and the human experience, which can be valuable knowledge for your personal and professional growth.
Community Impact: Palliative care volunteers contribute to creating a supportive and compassionate community that values end-of-life care.
Career Exploration: If you’re considering a career in healthcare or social work, volunteering in palliative care can provide firsthand experience and help you determine if it’s the right path for you.
We provide 24 hours of training for palliative care volunteers in a number of areas prior to volunteering.
Becoming a Volunteer
Through our application process we hope to provide a fair and considered way of discovering the suitability of people for this type of volunteer work.
Applicants may not be certain of their suitability or may be unsure as to whether they will be comfortable in or gain satisfaction from caring for people who are terminally ill. Prospective volunteers can withdraw at any stage along the way and are encouraged to discuss their feelings or concerns openly.
Mercy Palliative Care is committed to providing a quality service to patients and their families/carers. This responsibility means that we need to exercise judgement about the suitability of prospective volunteers. Some people will be better suited to different areas of volunteer work. Your suitability will be discussed with you.
It is expected that volunteers will make themselves available for a minimum of 3 hours per week for an initial period of at least 12 months. A considerable number of volunteers have been involved with the service for many years.
Applicants will be asked to agree to a Police Record Check, a Working With Children Check and provide suitable referees. Volunteers must be older than 18 years. It should be noted that volunteer insurance decreases over the age of 75 years.
Preliminary Enquiry
Your initial expression of interest or request for information about Mercy Palliative Care and the Volunteer Program.
An Interview
Time will be arranged close to the commencement of volunteer training. Each prospective volunteer will meet individually with the Volunteer Coordinator. This will enable applicants to confidentially discuss individual issues or concerns as well as providing us with an opportunity to know you better.
Training
Includes attending a series of skills training workshops which are held over a period of several weeks. Each session is integral to the Training Program as a whole and attendance is compulsory.
Fieldwork
Is a 6 months probationary period which forms part of the Volunteer Training Program during which new volunteers will further develop their skills and gain confidence in direct patient/family care.
I would like to volunteer
What can volunteers do?
Patient support
Our volunteers provide social support for our patients in their own home, in hospital or if the patient is well enough, an outing.
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Volunteers can help by:
- Keeping a patient company
- Sharing a crossword or a game
- Reminiscing over old photos
- Listening to their life stories
- Giving sensitive, listening support, and just ‘being there’
Volunteers do not provide personal care, home care or handle medications.
Carer Support
Palliative care services have long recognised the special needs of carers.
‘Carer stress is a main problem in home care arrangements. Looking after yourself is thus important, not only for your own sake, but also because it will allow you to provide care at home longer’.
Our volunteers can help ease carer stress by:
- visiting the carer in the home or at a cafe for a cuppa and a chat
- staying with the patient so the carer can go out or have a break at home
- making a simple phone call to check in with them
"The carer is always surprised when I say to them, 'I am actually calling to see how you are', when most callers ask about how the patient is doing."
Biography
The patient shares stories about who they are and what their lives have meant to them, sometimes reflecting on their values, sometimes with specific messages they want to share.
Our biography volunteers help patients guide and create the story.
For the patient, these stories can be a validation of their life and a legacy for future generations.
Biography volunteers record the patients story in their home over a number of visits, transcribing the recording between visits before presenting the patient with the final copy of their story.
Bereavement Support
Admin Support
Car Maintenance
MPC has a number of pool vehicles to allow our staff to provide care to patients in the community. We are seeking some assistance with regular general safety checks, cleaning of these vehicles and occasionally moving vehicles from one location to another.
General safety checks will include filling with petrol, checking tyre pressure, fluid levels and cleaning of inside and outside of the vehicles.
Patient Transport
Equipment Delivery/Collection
Volunteers deliver medical equipment needed to support the patient at home and collect when it is no longer required.
Werribee Mercy Hospital Palliative Care (GJC)
What can Volunteers do?
Main role of the volunteer is to be present, there is great value in sitting and holding space with a person.
- Companionship for patients and they families (The patient may be too unwell or resting but their carer may benefit from a chat)
- Making tea/coffee
- Gentle hand and foot massage (with training)
- Walking beside frail patients in the hospital/garden area
- Interaction with patients/carers with beading, board games and similar
