Senior VolunteeringVerified

Last checked: 2026-09-01

Circle of Life

Springdale, Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas hospice offering trained patient, family, inpatient, vigil, legacy, creative, professional, therapy-dog, and veteran service.

Circle of Life provides hospice and related support in homes, care facilities, and inpatient hospice homes in Springdale and Bentonville. Volunteers may serve patients and families directly or through supporting roles. The official process includes an application, interview, personal reference checks, influenza-vaccine proof, a criminal background check, drug screening, TB testing, New Volunteer Orientation, and Patient Support Class. After training, volunteers choose a schedule ranging from about four hours per month to four hours per week according to availability and placement.

HospicePatient supportTrainingTherapy dogsVeterans

Volunteer Planning Details

These details are summarized from the public source page and the verified listing fields. Confirm final rules directly with Circle of Life.

Service Area: Springdale, Arkansas
Cause: Senior Volunteering
Published Roles: 9 roles
Good Fit Signals: Check the official page for fit and eligibility.

Common Requirements Mentioned

Submit the volunteer application and complete an interview
Complete personal reference checks, influenza proof, background check, drug screening, and TB testing
Attend New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class
Receive a confirmed patient and care-team assignment
Follow confidentiality, professional boundaries, and care-team guidance
Complete the application, interview, and personal reference checks
Provide influenza proof and complete the background check, drug screening, and TB testing
Complete New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class

Volunteer Roles & Application Paths

Outpatient Patient and Family Support Volunteer

Offer companionship, emotional support, listening, reading, caregiver respite, or light errands for an assigned hospice patient and family.

Schedule:

Flexible after training and matching, from about four hours per month to four hours per week according to availability.

Key Requirements:

Submit the volunteer application and complete an interview
Complete personal reference checks, influenza proof, background check, drug screening, and TB testing
Attend New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class
Receive a confirmed patient and care-team assignment
Follow confidentiality, professional boundaries, and care-team guidance

Inpatient Unit Volunteer

Welcome visitors and families, support staff, work at the welcome desk, or make approved rounds with patients and families at a Circle of Life inpatient unit.

Schedule:

Flexible assigned shifts at the Springdale or Bentonville inpatient unit after onboarding.

Key Requirements:

Complete the application, interview, and personal reference checks
Provide influenza proof and complete the background check, drug screening, and TB testing
Complete New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class
Confirm the unit, role, shift, and supervisor
Follow patient privacy, boundaries, infection-control, and unit procedures

No One Dies Alone Volunteer

Sit vigil and provide a compassionate presence during a patient's final 48 hours when family is unavailable.

Schedule:

On-call and patient-need-based after full onboarding and assignment.

Key Requirements:

Complete the full application, interview, references, health, background, drug, and TB screening process
Complete New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class
Complete any No One Dies Alone preparation or competency step assigned
Accept only a confirmed vigil shift
Follow care-team direction, confidentiality, boundaries, and end-of-life support guidance

Lifetime Reflections Volunteer

Help an assigned patient record and preserve life stories that become a keepsake for the family.

Schedule:

Patient- and project-based after matching, with timing coordinated through the care team.

Key Requirements:

Complete the full volunteer application, interview, references, screening, testing, orientation, and Patient Support Class
Receive a confirmed Lifetime Reflections assignment
Use only approved recording and story-preservation methods
Follow consent, privacy, professional-boundary, and care-team guidance

Sewing, Knitting, or Crocheting Volunteer

Create approved comfort items such as lap blankets, quilts, memory bears or blankets, pillows, and fidget blankets for patients.

Schedule:

Flexible and project-based after Circle of Life confirms current item specifications and delivery arrangements.

Key Requirements:

Complete the volunteer process Circle of Life assigns, including its published screening and training steps
Confirm the current item type, pattern, size, materials, and infection-control guidance
Arrange delivery or handoff before beginning a large project
Provide only clean, approved finished items

Bereavement Scrapbooking Volunteer

Support approved bereavement scrapbooking projects, including work connected with the annual Fall Memorial.

Schedule:

Project- and event-based according to current bereavement-department needs.

Key Requirements:

Complete the published volunteer application, interview, references, screening, testing, orientation, and Patient Support Class
Wait for a confirmed bereavement project and deadline
Use approved materials and handling methods
Follow family privacy, memorial-content, and staff-review guidance

Certified Therapist Volunteer

Offer approved comfort services as a certified hairstylist, massage therapist, or Reiki therapist for assigned patients.

Schedule:

Placement-based and coordinated around patient needs after professional approval and onboarding.

Key Requirements:

Hold the relevant professional certification and provide documentation requested
Complete the application, interview, references, influenza proof, background check, drug screening, and TB testing
Complete New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class
Receive a confirmed patient, service scope, and schedule
Work within credentials and follow consent, privacy, infection-control, and care-team guidance

Hospets Therapy Dog Volunteer

Visit assigned patients with a trained therapy dog in a home, long-term care facility, or Circle of Life inpatient unit.

Schedule:

Flexible visit-based placement after the handler, dog, setting, and patient assignment are approved.

Key Requirements:

Apply as a volunteer with a trained therapy dog
Complete the interview, references, influenza proof, background check, drug screening, TB testing, orientation, and Patient Support Class
Provide every handler and animal record or evaluation Circle of Life requests
Accept only confirmed visits
Follow animal, facility, infection-control, privacy, and patient-safety rules

Veteran Volunteer

Serve through an approved Circle of Life role and, when assigned, help present Veteran Honors to hospice patients who served in the military.

Schedule:

Flexible after onboarding and matching; honors are arranged around patient and family needs.

Key Requirements:

Complete the application, interview, personal references, influenza proof, background check, drug screening, and TB testing
Complete New Volunteer Orientation and Patient Support Class
Confirm the service role and any Veteran Honors preparation
Accept only care-team-approved visits or ceremonies
Follow patient, family, cultural, privacy, and professional-boundary guidance