Lama

Hometown: Bridgeport, CT

Above and Beyond Nomination: “Lama has been working directly with my mother for several years now. While my mom has had a steady stream of different caregivers over the years, Lama has been the one dedicated, calm, and loyal presence in her life. She took the time to get to know and understand my mother, which ultimately led to a mutual respect between them. She provides the best care in a way that makes my mother still feel in control of her life, even as her disease continues to slowly take away her independence. I know that she only wants what’s best for my mom and my sister and I truly appreciate all that she does.” – Renee B., Redding, CT

Neo

Hometown: Wallingford, CT

Above and Beyond Nomination: “She is God-sent. Compassionate, caring, and efficient. The epitome of what a caregiver should be. If only she could be cloned!” – Lisa C., Ridgefield, CT

Saira

Hometown: Bridgeport, CT

Above and Beyond Nomination: “Saira is everything one would want to have in a caregiver. Conscientious, trustworthy, thorough, compassionate, caring and much more.” – Marie B., Ridgefield, CT

Beverly, Cristhin and Tiffany

Hometowns: Norwalk, CT (Beverly, Tiffany); Waterbury, CT (Cristhin)

Above and Beyond Nomination: “Tiffany, Beverly and Cristhin are the most caring people. They have taken excellent care of our mother and continues to give excellent care to our dad. They have gone above and beyond our expectations, and have really been there for our entire family, not just our parents, these past few months. It is not just the physical care, but they will sit, talk, and listen to our parents’ stories and really make them feel loved and cared for. They have become part of our family. God has blessed us with three outstanding caregivers!”
Keith and Jaime E., Ridgefield, CT

Professional Partner & Community Liaison

We believe in going above and beyond for our patients and clients and we appreciate the guidance and support of professionals who are willing to volunteer their time and expertise.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with beautification—hairstyling, manicures, pedicures
• Helping with relaxation—massage therapy, reiki, music therapy
• Home maintenance—lawn care, snow removal, occasional handiwork
• Lending expertise to a professional committee—accounting, communications, finance, law, marketing, etc.

Limitations

• All professional volunteers must have valid licensing and/or credentials as necessary

Departments

• ComfortWELL Hospice*
• BeWELL (Community Health & Wellness)
• Development
• Finance
• GetWELL Nursing and Rehabilitation
• Marketing

Availability

• Weekdays
• Hours are flexible

*Please note, in order to volunteer with ComfortWELL Hospice, volunteers must complete 16 hours of training as well as a background check. Learn more by visiting the Volunteer Requirements page.

Clinical Support & Externships

We are committed to promoting health and wellness in the 35+ towns we serve across Connecticut, and offer a variety of free or reduced-cost services to assist our community members who are uninsured or underinsured. We are always looking for volunteer physicians, physician assistants (PA), registered nurses (RN), and licensed practical nurses (LPN) who are willing to assist our team.

We also provide externship opportunities for students working towards their degree in a clinical field.

Responsibilities

• Provide annual physical examinations
• Administer immunizations and vaccinations
• Measure blood pressure
• Offer specialty medical expertise at our Wellness Fair and through other screenings throughout the year
• Partner on community education programs

Limitations

• All clinicians must have a valid Connecticut license, as well as all appropriate credentials for services being provided

Departments

• ComfortWELL Hospice*
• GetWELL Nursing & Rehabilitation

Availability

• Blood Pressure Clinics
  • Weekdays, 8:30am-4:30pm
  • Hours are flexible
  • 1-2 hours per clinic
• Flu Clinics
  • Weekdays or weekends
  • Hours are flexible
  • Seasonal, September- February
  • 2-4 hours per clinic
• RVNAhealth Wellness Fair
  • Weekend
  • 10:00am-2:00pm (may volunteer for am or pm shift)
  • Seasonal, March/April
• Well-Child Clinics
  • Weekdays or Weekends
  • Hours are flexible
  • 2-3 hours per clinic
  • Seasonal, August

*Please note, in order to volunteer with ComfortWELL Hospice, volunteers must complete 16 hours of training as well as a background check. Learn more by visiting the Volunteer Requirements page.

Pet Therapy Companion

Pet Therapy Companions provide unique emotional, social, and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance the quality of life for our patients and their family caregivers.

Responsibilities

• Visit patients in their residence or assisted living community
• Provide companionship and/or conversation
• Maintain patient confidentiality

Limitations

• All pets and their handlers must have a valid pet therapy certification.
• All pets must always remain on leash and in the handler’s possession
• All pets must be current with immunizations and health requirements
• All pets should be well groomed

Departments

• ComfortWELL Hospice*
• GetWELL Nursing & Rehabilitation

Availability

• Weekdays or weekends
• 2-3 visits per month (minimum)
• Hours are flexible as visits are mutually agreed on by the volunteer and the patient and/or their family member

*Please note, in order to volunteer with ComfortWELL Hospice, volunteers must complete 16 hours of training as well as a background check. Learn more by visiting the Volunteer Requirements page.

Veteran-to-Veteran Peer Support

It is with an enormous amount of reverence and gratitude that we care for those who have served in the United States military. Veterans-to-Veterans is a nationally-recognized program that strives to pair recruited veteran volunteers with hospice patients who have been identified as veterans. Once paired, veteran volunteers have the unique ability to relate and connect with patients based on common life experiences.

Responsibilities

• Visit patients in their residence or assisted living community
• Provide companionship and reminisce over past experiences
• Educate and assist patient in receiving veteran benefits
• Participate in pinning ceremonies and other military commemorative events
• Assist with errands
• Maintain patient confidentiality

Departments

• ComfortWELL Hospice*

Availability

• Weekdays or weekends
• One visit per week (some may be less)
• Hours are flexible as visits are mutually agreed on by the volunteer and the patient and/or their family member

*Please note, in order to volunteer with ComfortWELL Hospice, volunteers must complete 16 hours of training as well as a background check. Learn more by visiting the Volunteer Requirements page.

Event Assistant or Committee Member

We are invested in the communities we serve and often hold annual events to promote health and wellness or assist in our fundraising efforts. These events are made possible through the time and talent of our event volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Manage registration and paperwork
• Provide input regarding event logistics, digital and print materials, and current trends
• Act as a liaison between RVNAhealth and the community in promoting the event
• Reach out to network to procure sponsorships and/or sell tickets
• Secure in-kind donations from the community for raffles and auctions
• Help with pre-event preparations
• Assist with the event set-up and breakdown

Departments

• BeWELL (Community Health Education Programs & Events)
• Development
• Marketing

Availability

• One hour every two weeks for committee meetings
• 1-2 hours every month to help with administrative tasks/outreach
• 2-6 hours on event days to help with setup/breakdown and logistics of event

Family Support & Friendly Visitor

Family Support Volunteers are an integral part of the RVNAhealth volunteer family. These everyday heroes donate their time to hold a hand, walk a family pet, run errands, or just be a companion. If making a positive impact on a patient entrusted to our care is of interest, the family support volunteer opportunity might be the right fit! These opportunities exist in RVNAhealth ComfortWELL Hospice Services and our complete WELLness community.