For some patients, having a companion during their last days means everything. When a patient is able to develop a bond or special connection with our volunteers, both patients and their families are so grateful. That’s why we call our volunteers the heart of Ardent—they have hearts of gold and are an important part of our team. Our volunteers extend our personalized, thoughtful care as they touch the lives of people who need it most.
Volunteering in any capacity can make a difference in your community, but working with a hospice, such as Ardent, can be an even greater rewarding experience.
The Qualities of an Ardent Volunteer
At Ardent, we don’t necessarily look for specific qualifications, but we do try to look for volunteers who will bring light into patients’ homes. We want to make sure they’re someone who can safely be around our patients and keep them in a positive, comfortable environment.
Many volunteers are apprehensive at first because they don’t feel like they’re qualified to be with hospice patients, but the truth is, as long as you’re willing to be a companion and just be present with the patient, you’d make an excellent volunteer. Our volunteers are also great at listening and are extremely patient, empathetic, caring, and compassionate.
Although not required, some of the volunteers at Ardent bring special talents to our team. For example, our Fresno social worker’s daughter visits with patients while on break from school and plays the flute for them. We also have a few volunteers who will sing or paint with our patients, or help them scrapbook their memories. Others will simply sit with them and watch a movie or read a book.
These qualities seem simple enough, but they have such a meaningful impact on the lives of our patients and their families. A couple of hours a week spent with a patient can bring them so much joy. Some of our volunteers even become honorary family members because of how close they become with the families in our care.
Areas of Service
While we do place a large emphasis on our patient and family services volunteers, we have many opportunities available in all parts of our organization. Our incredible volunteers also lend their dedication and compassion to our community, office, and bereavement services.
- Our community volunteers are the warm, welcoming, friendly face of Ardent; they accompany our marketing team to events to help share our philosophies and values with local communities.
- Our office service volunteers are the behind-the-scenes backbone of Ardent. They provide our entire program with the clerical and administrative support we need to keep us running smoothly.
- While similar to our patient and family service volunteers, in that they visit and connect with families, our bereavement volunteers take compassion to the next level. They give families support, companionship, and assistance as they deal with grief from the loss of their loved one, helping them through the bereavement process.
The saying “It takes a village” is true for Ardent. We couldn’t provide the heartfelt care that we do at any of our locations if it wasn’t for our volunteers.
Becoming a Volunteer
We are constantly welcoming in new volunteers, so if you would like to become a part of the Heart of Ardent, send us an application online. When you apply, we’ll ask you a few questions about yourself and your passions; that way, we can place you in the right role or with the right family.
You’ll also go through roughly five hours of training, including videos and in-person module reviews before you begin working with patients or our team. You don’t need to have any prior experience or credentials; the training will fully prepare you for your role, and our team is always here to support you if you have any questions.
We welcome the chance for you to join our volunteer team and start making a difference. If you’d like to share your time and talents with our team, apply with the Heart of Ardent, by clicking here.
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