What Do Volunteers Do?

Volunteers are needed daily at Abbey Hospice and in the field. The volunteering you do is based on your background and area(s) of interest. Call our office and ask for the Volunteer Coordinator if you are interested in becoming a volunteer!

Patient Care

Volunteering means doing something good for someone without expecting anything in return. Special people can assist as patient care volunteers. If you would like to fill this type of role you would be assisting with:


  • Reading a book to a patient, holding their hand
  • Staying with a patient for a brief time while their caregiver takes a needed break or has a personal appointment
  • Cutting a patient’s grass/doing yard work
  • Shopping
  • Completing life review/helping a patient tell their story
  • Working on crafts or playing music
  • Participating in group activities at our partner facilities

Grief Support

Volunteering helps increase your social skills. It takes a special person to help support a family who has recently lost a loved one. Volunteers help provide emotional support and companionship to families who are grieving. Hospice care includes taking care of families after a loved one has passed. Grief support volunteers:


  • Call and/or write notes/messages to families offering emotional support
  • Assemble mailings
  • Assist with support group meetings
  • Assist with annual grief support activities such as the memory walk, camp journey, or our semi-annual memorial services

Community Outreach

Volunteering creates a sense of community. Maybe you are a great public speaker and have a personal experience with hospice that you can share with others, maybe you need to work on your public speaking and get out of your comfort zone. Do you love to meet new people?


Community outreach volunteers:



  • Help arrange community presentations
  • Facilitate community presentations
  • Participate in community awareness and education programs

Administrative Support 

Effective administration is vital to a program’s success. If you are detail oriented, process driven and want to keep yourself sharp, volunteering to do administrative support is for you. Administrative Support volunteers complete behind the scenes tasks such as:


  • Filing
  • Data Entry
  • Record review
  • Mailings
  • Answering phones


The key to a successful volunteer experience is finding a good fit. Abbey Hospice will help you find a sense of purpose, help you meet new friends, teach you new skills and bring joy into your life. 


If you have any questions about volunteering with Abbey Hospice, please call our office or email our volunteer coordinator, Jennifer Muller, at jennifer.muller@abbeyhospice.com.

Volunteer Interest Form

  • What do I have to do to become a Volunteer?

    All active hospice volunteers must complete a background check, health screening and drug screening.   Volunteers are also required to attend orientation.

  • Do I need previous experience to volunteer?

    We don’t require previous experience, but it’s always a plus!

  • How old do I have to be to volunteer?

    Abbey Hospice requires our volunteers to be 18 and older, as a background check is required to volunteer.

  • How much time do I have to give?

    There are no time requirements for Abbey Hospice volunteering. The amount of time you donate to our patients and families is entirely up to you! As little as 30 minutes a week can make a difference in someone’s life.

  • Do you have any patients near me?

    Abbey Hospice services a 50-mile radius around Social Circle, GA. If you live within 50 miles of Social Circle, chances are we have a patient near you!

  • Can I volunteer with a friend?

    Absolutely! The more the merrier!

  • When can I volunteer?

    That depends on what you would like to do! Administrative volunteers may donate time during the work week (Monday-Friday from 9-5). We ask that you notify the volunteer coordinator before your arrival so we can have a project prepared for you. Patient Companion volunteers may visit any time that is convenient for both the volunteer and the family, including after hours and weekends. Volunteers may be paired with a patient and family, and their first visit will be conducted with the volunteer coordinator. After the first visit, future visits can be scheduled without the presence of the volunteer coordinator.

  • Can I volunteer after the death of a loved one?

    We ask that after the loss of a loved one a volunteer waits 13 months before beginning or continuing to volunteer. We believe volunteers deserve the opportunity to grieve properly, and we ask that you let us know when you’re ready to begin volunteering again.