When you donate your time, skills and energy to Starr, you’re making a huge impact. Volunteering At Starr gives you a unique opportunity to positively affect the lives of patients.
Starr Hospice is a non-profit organization that has been serving the Tri-Valley and adjacent cities in the San Francisco East Bay Area since 1980. We provide compassionate nursing care and companionship to hospice patients, as well as support to their family care partners.
Our organization was founded by a group of local nurses, doctors, and other concerned citizens who volunteered their time for years until we grew to the point where full-time paid staff became necessary. To this day, volunteers remain the heart of Starr.
Starr provides medical oversight and supportive care to patients with a terminal condition in their final stage of life. Our team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others who ensure our clients have every needed resource. We serve our patients wherever they call home; usually, it’s in a house or their apartment in an assisted living community. Some patients reside in a 24/7 skilled nursing facility, and our hospice services complement the care they receive from on-site nurses.
Starr patient care volunteers help patients and their families in many different ways. Whether you’re interacting with patients, escorting a canine companion to visit patients, or helping in the office or special event, all you really need is compassion and a desire to serve. Our volunteers:
Even the simplest of gestures — reading to or talking with someone — has a meaningful impact. There are many ways for you to contribute your time and talents. A few examples are below. Connect with our Volunteer Services Department to learn more about these opportunities. We’re happy to talk through ways that you can put your talents and abilities to work by serving others in your community.
Companionship VisitsPatients are receiving regular medical care from their hospice team, including nurses and professional home health aides. Volunteers may not assist in these tasks:
Volunteers must be comfortable using a computer and email, as job assignment, reporting, and some trainings are facilitated online.
All volunteers are provided with hospice training and orientation, a process that takes 15–20 hours. We also perform background checks, have health requirements including annual vaccinations, and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. Homecare volunteers must be age 18 or older to work independently. Ages 16 and 17 may participate with an adult chaperone present at all times. Event/office volunteers must be age 14 or older. Parental consent is required for individuals under age 18.
We request a commitment of one to two hours per week. We will work with you to find an assignment near your home or office neighborhoods. Since program readiness involves training and other onboarding tasks before being placed on service, we’ve found that our opportunities may not be best suited to college students who are only in town for summer break or other short-term stays.
If you have any questions about volunteering opportunities or the requirements of our program, contact our volunteer department by email or call (925) 829–8770 on weekdays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
