In the palliative care units at the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, patients value human company as much as the healthcare they receive. Being present can help prevent isolation in times of vulnerability.

In response to this need, we worked with consulting nurse clinicians in palliative and end-of-life care and spiritual care workers to develop a training program for palliative care support volunteers. This training prepares volunteers interested in this field to provide a caring presence that respects their role, while supporting caregivers who have limited time to spend with these patients.

While other organizations offer training for a fee, our program is based on our expertise and is adapted to our reality—and is offered free of charge. A total of 24 volunteers took our training in November 2025.

A month later, the volunteers were integrated into the palliative care unit at Anna-Laberge hospital for the very first time. They offer friendly visits to palliative care recipients and people waiting for a hospice space. As an example, our volunteers gave a total of 60 hours of their time in January 2026.

Their engagement has also resulted in an increased presence of volunteers at CHSLD Doctor-Aimé-Leduc in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and CHSLD La Prairie. The project is off to a promising start, and additional training sessions are being planned in response to volunteers’ interest.

Lead:
Marie-Claude Guilbault, Head of Spiritual Care and Volunteer Services

Contributors:
Marie-Hélène Caron, Head of Spiritual Care and Volunteer Services
Claudine Robert, Consultant Palliative Care Nurse Clinician