As a volunteer you contribute to the homely character of the hospice. You help with practical tasks such as serving coffee, keeping the room tidy, or taking a walk. You also perform light care tasks, such as helping to get up, wash or go to the toilet. Above all, you are there to offer closeness, to be together and sometimes just to listen without words.
Jet van den Berg emphasizes that volunteers are the support that residents and their loved ones greatly benefit from. “Our work mainly requires a warm heart and a listening ear, not necessarily professional care experience. Our volunteers offer humanity and comfort,” she says. “You don’t always have to say something; proximity is often enough.”