Hospice of San Luis Obispo County (Hospice SLO) is a volunteer hospice. We love to have volunteers working and assisting the front office with tasks such as answering the phone; greeting clients; entering data into our system, and many more! If you are interested in volunteering in the Hospice SLO front office, please contact Tracy Sturgell at 805-544-2266 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In-home Support:
Time commitment: 4 hours a week, on-going
Description of duties: Assist our in-home clients with their pets’ needs, including exercising, feeding, waste management, and transportation. Ability to communicate with a client about their pet’s care and needs, and have experience with pets. Completion of Hospice SLO’s Basic Volunteer training must be done before placement with a client.
Additional materials needed: Interview with Pet Peace of Mind coordinator, TB test, LiveScan (fingerprinting)
Training provided: Additional training in pet handling, basic information and wound care will be given upon completion of general training

Pet Peace of Mind Foster Home:
Time commitment: Varies per client (anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months)
Description of duties: Provide shelter, food and assistance to a pet whose client has died or moved to a facility. Will be responsible for the everyday care of the pet, and will assume the cost of food. Pet Peace of Mind will assist with veterinarian care, grooming, and other specialized care that is needed, with prior agreement. Being a foster parent to an animal has possible tax-deductible benefits. When possible, a general timeline will be given for the placement of a pet in foster, however flexibility is crucial. A stable and calm environment is essential for foster homes, and a home check will be conducted prior to placement of a pet in foster.
Additional materials needed: Completion of a Foster Application. Download a Pet Peace of Mind Foster application here!

Volunteer Sponsorship/Fundraising Coordinator for PPOM:
Time commitment: about 5 hours a week, one year
Description of duties: Seek sponsorships from local businesses for PPOM. Volunteer should have the ability to clearly and comfortably interact with potential donors, and have a comprehensive understanding of Hospice SLO and Pet Peace of Mind. Should be able to self-start, think creatively about business involvement, for both financial and in-kind donations. Familiarity with local pet-related businesses would be helpful. Have a form of transportation to make office visits. Previous experience in fundraising and sponsorships would be preferable. Make follow-up calls to interested businesses and perform community outreach. Able to attend community events for potential sponsors. Can provide a desk at Hospice SLO for you to work from. Will work closely with PPOM Coordinator and Event/Communications Director.
Training provided: Overview of our sponsorship packet and procedures; General orientation to PPOM and Hospice SLO

Community Outreach/ Event Support Volunteer:
Time commitment: 2 hours per week, as needed (Depends on events going on)
Description of duties: For Community Outreach/ Event Support, a volunteer must be comfortable with interacting with the general public and presenting Hospice SLO and Pet Peace of Mind in a positive light. Experience with public speaking would be helpful. Volunteer may be asked to speak on behalf of Pet Peace of Mind to local clubs, groups and professional organizations. In addition, when Pet Peace of Mind is invited to community events, volunteers should be available to table, provide information about our services, and help promote Pet Peace of Mind. Volunteers for this should be comfortable speaking in public, outgoing, self-starter. Light lifting may be required during set up for community events.
Training provided: General orientation to Pet Peace of Mind and Hospice SLO.

Office/Clerical Support:
Time commitment: 2 hours/ week, one year
Description of duties: Assist the Pet Peace of Mind coordinator with office support, including clerical work, filing and database entry. Special projects will occasionally be given. Creativity and an ability to communicate well with others is a must. Ability to perform basic tasks on a computer, such as word processing, database navigation, and sending e-mails, is highly preferable. Will work alongside our office volunteers, and may occasionally have to answer phones at the front desk.
Additional information needed: LiveScan (fingerprinting)
Training provided: General front desk training, introduction to the database, office tour

Pet Peace of Mind Advisory Board:
Time commitment: 2 hours/month, 1 year
Description of duties: Serve on the Advisory Board, which will have govern and guide the Pet Peace of Mind coordinator in creating and implementing policies and procedures. The Board will consist of 6 professionals from various areas of pet welfare. Prior experience with administrative oversight and creating policies is preferred.

Consulting Pet Care Professional:
Time commitment: 3 hours/month, 1 year
Description of duties: Assist the Pet Peace of Mind coordinator in setting boundaries for the program and serve as a resource when new questions arise. Expert knowledge in pet care, whether it be veterinarian science, grooming, obedience training or other specialties, is required.

San Luis Obispo Trainings:

Thursday evenings 5:30-9:00 PM

February 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21 & 28

Trainings will be held at the Hospice SLO Office:
1304 Pacific St.
San Luis Obispo, CA

Paso Robles Trainings:

Tuesday evenings 5:30-9:00 PM

February 26; March 5, 12, 19, 26 & April 2

Trainings will be held at the Hospice SLO North County Office:
811 12th Street # 301
Paso Robles, CA

Pre-Registration is required.

All prospective participants will receive an Introductory Letter outlining the course expectations and must complete this Introductory Questionnaire and email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Click here to download the Introductory Questionaire!

Suggested reading before first class meeting:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Review Questions: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Dowload a Pet Peace of Mind Foster Home application here!

Pet Peace of Mind made possible through Grants, Sponsorships, and Donations

Hospice staff and volunteers offer diverse educational presentations to community members and health professionals.

Hospice In-Home Volunteer Training is open to all interested persons and is offered twice annually. This inclusive 24-hour training covers communication skills, hospice history and philosophy, the patient and family as a unit of care, the grief process, symptom and pain management, relaxation techniques, cultural and spiritual issues, and all aspects of the role of the volunteer. If interested, please contact Sonnie Brown @ 805-544-2266 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Pet Peace of Mind is our new pet support program. At Hospice SLO we have seen over and over the importance of the bond between humans and their animal companions. We are bringing to our community a program focused on allowing clients to complete their end of life journey without worrying about their pet's needs. We will need the community's support through donations, sponsorships, and participation. If you are interested in participating, please contact Kris Kington-Barker @ 805-544-2266 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bereavement Training is offered usually in the spring each year to the community at large to help build a foundation of qualified individuals, professionals, and lay personnel to help identify and support others and themselves through the grief process.

A Year to Live What would you do, if you had one year to live? This year-long group, open to all interested in the community explores how to live each year as if it was your last. Based on Steven Levine’s book, A Year to Live, meets monthly for one year. This group is open to those who want to examine the life they are living, explore ways to enrich their life, and look closely at end of life issues. The next class will begin June 2013. If interested, please contact Sonnie Brown@ 805-544-2266 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

In-Home volunteers offer respite care to relieve the primary care person. Volunteers also offer emotional and practical support, including:

• light housekeeping tasks
• meal preparation
• companionship
• errands
• transportation

Hospice volunteers provide a consistent supportive presence for the entire family. By utilizing a blend of professional and volunteer skills, the Hospice staff offers a comprehensive, integrated care program capable of giving specialized and sensitive volunteer support to clients and their families at no charge. This is made possible by:

• A small paid staff who train and facilitate the services of 50 to 70 consistently active in-home volunteers;
• Working in cooperation with home health agencies and many other existing community service programs and facilities; and
• The generous financial support of local individuals, organizations, and the business community.

Hospice In-Home Volunteer Training is open to all interested persons and is offered twice annually. This inclusive 24-hour training covers communication skills, hospice history and philosophy,family dynamics, the grief process, life review and reminiscence, relaxation techniques, cultural and spiritual issues, and all aspects of the role of the volunteer.

To view upcoming training dates, click here!

If interested, please contact Sonnie Brown@ 805-544-2266 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Hospice of San Luis Obispo County's Community Response Team provides timely counseling support, consultation, and education about grief and coping with loss, including sudden death. Community Crisis Response services are provided to businesses, schools, churches, government and community agencies at no charge. Trained staff and volunteer counselors work with children, adults, and consult with groups and agencies on the crisis approach that would work best for them. In 2010, the crisis team responded to many situations where they were invited in. Call 544-2266 or 226.5641 for more information.

Hospice of San Luis Obispo offers Support Groups that meet to provide emotional support and education about the grief and life threatening illnesses. Support Group meetings are offered according to the needs of the community. Meetings are offered without charge.

Please call (805) 544-2266 to confirm time and dates.

Pre-registration is not required for the following groups:

Pet Loss Support -Mondays, 6:00 pm- 7:30 pm (Starting May 6, 2013) 
Hospice of SLO County Office, 1304 Pacific St., SLO
Individual counseling for the loss of a pet is available, please call 805-544-2266.

General Grief - Tuesdays, 10:45 am - 12:15 pm
New Life Church-Room 14, 990 James Way, Pismo Beach,

General Grief - Tuesdays, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Hospice of SLO County Office, 1304 Pacific St., SLO

Bereaved Parents Support - Wednesdays, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Hospice of SLO County Office, 1304 Pacific St., SLO

Suicide Bereavement Support (for those left behind) -
Last Wednesday of the month, 5:30pm - 7:00 pm
Hospice of SLO County Office, 1304 Pacific St., SLO

Spouse/Partner Loss Support - Thursdays, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Hospice of SLO County Office, 1304 Pacific St., SLO

Spouse/Partner Loss Support - Thursdays, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
New Life Church, 990 James Way, Pismo Beach

Pre-registration is required for the following group:

Wellness Group for People with a Potential Life-threatening Illness
Thursdays, 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm, Hospice of SLO County Office, 1304 Pacific St., SLO

Articles for Coping with Loss

Hospice Counseling Services are provided by trained staff and volunteer counselors. Supportive grief counseling after a death, and counseling to support individuals with life threatening illnesses and their families and friends, is available to anyone in our community at no charge for up to 10 sessions. Counseling sessions typically provide clients with both emotional support, information, and an opportunity to explore how they can more effectively negotiate these challenges.

All our client services are without charge. Counseling services include: adult, child, and family counseling.

If you need help coping with a loss, caring for a seriously ill loved one, or dealing with your own mortality, please call us at 805.544.2266 or 805.226.5641. We're here to help.