Benefits of receiving hospice and palliative care include a comprehensive care team consisting of nurses, aides, other caregivers, medicines, supplies, and equipment, with no out-of-pocket expenses for the hospice diagnosis. Chaplains, volunteers, and bereavement specialists are also part of the team helping you and your family receive the emotional and spiritual care you need.

Improving the quality of life for patients and their families guides every step of our care. Our support begins with listening. When we understand your needs and values, you receive a more personal level of care.

Care is customized to your needs and may include:

• Visits from our licensed hospice team
• Home medical equipment, medication, and personal care supplies
• Care coordinated with your doctor
• Hospice aides to help with the tasks of daily living
• Physical, dietary, and other therapy services
• We Honor Veterans program
• Respite care (relief for family caregivers)
• Spiritual care and support
• Ongoing grief support
• 24/7 year-round support

Compassus Hospice has been providing comfort care in San Antonio since 2006.

Counties Served: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, DeWitt, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Wilson

Patients and families often tell us that hospice volunteers are a treasure. Even if you work behind the scenes, you’ll be helping others at a time of great need.

Patient Support

Volunteers provide companionship to the patient and respite for the caregiver. Ways to help include:

• Friendly visits
• Reading to patients
• Light housekeeping
• Running errands
• Writing letters
• Meal preparation

Bereavement

Bereavement volunteers are an invaluable resource for those who have lost loved ones, especially for family members without a solid support network. Bereavement volunteers might:

• Visit with the bereaved in person or by phone
• Assist with grief support groups
• Coordinate community resources
• Help bereavement coordinators with mailings and calls

Administrative

• Administrative volunteers assist hospice staff, typically in the office. Ways to help include:
• Copying, faxing, filing, and other light office work
• Sending birthday cards, sympathy cards, or thinking of you cards
• Making deliveries

Veteran-To-Veteran Volunteers

Compassus is proud to participate in the We Honor Veterans program. Many of our locations provide trained veteran volunteers who offer camaraderie and compassionate care for fellow veterans. Our veteran-to-veteran volunteers understand the unique needs of veterans because they ARE veterans.

11th Hour/Vigil Volunteers

Some local programs have 11th Hour/Vigil Volunteers. These are trained, non-medical volunteers who offer emotional support to patients and caregivers in the last hours of life. 11th Hour/Vigil volunteers are a compassionate presence during the last hours of life for hospice patients either in private homes or in facilities.

Supplementary Volunteer Services*

We welcome other specialized volunteers to provide services to our patients, such as:

• Reiki practitioners
• Massage therapists
• Pet therapy teams
• Art therapists
• Music therapists
• Hair stylists

*For all of these supplementary volunteer services, the volunteers must be certified or licensed.

Many students, especially those preparing for careers in healthcare or chaplaincy, are looking to gain direct patient care volunteer hours for their degrees. Hospice is a great fit to make that happen.