Imagine You Are Dying: Would You Be Interested in Having a Hospice Palliative Care Volunteer?

Abstract

A community sample of 100 adults was asked to imagine that they had been recently diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. After reading about the services provided by hospice palliative care volunteers, participants were asked whether they would choose to have a volunteer help them and to give a reason for their answer. Eighty-nine of the 100 participants indicated that they would use the help of a volunteer. The most commonly given reasons for utilizing a volunteer included for the general support they provide, help with practical things, and lack of family nearby; reasons given for declining the services of a volunteer included "I'm a private person'' and "I don't need any help.'' Sixty-five participants knew that such a volunteer program was available. Of the 35 participants who did not, 31 (89%) expected their family doctor to tell them about it. The implications of these findings for volunteer program coordinators are discussed.