Where Are All the Men (Hospice-Palliative Volunteers)?

[Frances Shani Parker]

When hospice-palliative volunteers look around the room during a typical meeting, it becomes obvious that women volunteer at a higher rate. This is not to say there aren’t great male volunteers, but more diversity in this area would be beneficial. Volunteers are motivated for various reasons such as serving and socializing with patients, pursuing career goals, and feeling good about themselves. But, if the rewards are so wonderful, why aren't more men joining? Read here for answers: http://hospiceandnursinghomes.blogspot.com/2009/09/where-are-all-men-hospice-palliative.html

[Frances Shani Parker]

I commend you and your hospice organization for being role models for others regarding diversity.

[Greg Schneider]

Ah yes...I had forgotten about that excellent section of your book. I agree with all that you have said. I think the biggest problem with promoting cultural diversity is that hospices don't have the expertise in-house to do the education necessary. As I mentioned to you a couple of years ago when we first met, I do consider this a very important issue and would like the Hospice Volunteer Association to elevate the consciousness around this issue.

The Hospice Volunteer Training Institute (HVTI) has been in the works for a while and I believe it will come to fruition in the next year. HVA is establishing national volunteer certification and training standards through our National Council on Hospice Volunteer Education. We will be focusing on the issue of cultural diversity and offering programs that will bring an increasing awareness to this very important issue.

Greg Schneider
President, HVA
HCF Creator

[Greg Schneider]

It is a challenge to undertake without the result becoming stereotypical. Any ideas?

[Frances Shani Parker]

I have a chapter titled "Healthier Hospice" in my book "Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes" that includes discussion about racial, ethnic, cultural diversity concerns regarding hospice and healthcare institutions in general. But I would like to take another approach in this venue because I am a firm believer in best practices as models for improvement. There are hospices out there that model these best practices. I also believe this type of exchange is part of the mission of this website, which is where I will begin.

About five months ago, I started a discussion titled "Share What Your Hospice is Doing to Promote Cultural Diversity." I had hoped that of the hospices represented at this website, some would welcome the opportunity to share their best practices promoting cultural diversity, while receiving more public recognition for their commendable efforts. I also offered to showcase respondents on my blog (“Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog”), which is read by many in both the hospice and nursing home arenas. Only one hospice worker at this website responded: Julie Cranz (Hospice Volunteer Coordinator at Hospice of Western Kentucky). Monica Escalante (VP of Volunteers, Community Education and Outreach, Montgomery Hospice) emailed me on her own about activities of her hospice organization.

Taking this project to the next level, I showcased these two hospices on my blog four months ago. I concluded that blog post with the question “What is your hospice organization doing to promote cultural diversity? Please comment below.” This opportunity for hospices to share their best cultural diversity practices with one another and the public has received no responses. What is interesting about this is that for several weeks, this post received numerous visitors out of the hundreds the blog receives weekly. A sizable number (tracked) were from hospice organizations, but none left comments. Readers can draw their own conclusions. Responses at the blog or this website are still welcome.

I’ll conclude by saying that promoting cultural diversity requires sincere commitment and a proactive stance in modeling and encouraging others to embrace what hospice organizations say is important to be effective and sensitive to all people. More specifically, this proactivity requires, among other efforts, hiring culturally diverse staff members at various levels, more input from culturally diverse communities about what their needs really are, and more hospice recruitment in these communities at churches, schools, recreation centers, events, etc., along with media, particularly in their languages when necessary. Hospice workers must take more proactive outreach roles in presenting the good work hospice does and the benefits it provides, while helping all recipients of their services feel appreciated and respected.

Frances Shani Parker

[Greg Schneider]

I have noticed this for many years. Any hospice gathering (often applies to spiritually oriented gatherings as well) will consistently have ~20% males. Women are the nurturers in our society so it is not surprising that women outnumber men in hospice.

Diversity is another issue -- gender is one consideration but I would like to see more cultural diversity. This is one of HVA's mission objectives, to create more opportunities for greater cultural participation in hospice volunteering.

Thanks for posting this data...maybe we will encourgage more men out there to join us!!

Greg

[Julie Cranz]

My two big goals this next year are to recruit more men and minority volunteers. A mere 5% of our volunteers are male, and we only have 1 minority volunteer. I have been speaking to multiple men's groups (Lions Clubs and other men's groups). To gain minority volunteers, I am trying to get speaking engagements in the area school systems and colleges. Our CEO has spoken to the local NAACP, and we are planning a pastor's breakfast this fall to include all minority church clergy. These 2 areas are proving to be very challenging. Would love to hear how others are recruiting males and minorities.

[Frances Shani Parker]

I agree. There is a need for more cultural diversity at all levels of hospice. I have heard and read a lot of promises, and there are some hospice organizations with focused efforts in that direction. But general hospice outreach related to cultural diversity is in serious need of improvement.