Communication Training for Hospice Volunteers

For the past five years the first author has served as a communication trainer of new volunteers for a thriving Hospice organization. This article details the communication-related portions of the new volunteer training process. This description covers both the theoretical intentions of the training as well as the contextual applications. It can serve as a text and an outline of activities in developing an initial communication skills training program for Hospice volunteers. Topics addressed include trusting, listening, talking about death and dying, communication/interacting effectively, being assertive, taking responsibility, modeling appropriate behavior, and using imagination.