title: Trends in the Use of Volunteers in US Hospices: 2000 to 2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Using a longitudinal sample of freestanding Medicare-certified hospices in the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, this study sought to explore the factors associated with volunteer demand and describe how volunteer use has changed from 2000 to 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A temporal decline in the extent of use of volunteers in freestanding hospices was observed over the study period. Findings indicated that both organizational and environmental factors influence the use of volunteers in US freestanding hospices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the importance of volunteers, both in the preservation of hospices' philanthropic traditions and in reducing health care expenditure at the end of life, research is needed to further evaluate the factors associated with this decline. Emphasis should be placed on improving the retention of the existing hospice volunteer workforce.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA bapenteng@georgiasouthern.edu.
authors.forename: Bettye A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Apenteng
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Opoku
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health.
authors.forename: Raymona H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Sciences, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Linda A L
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Upchurch
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D006738:Hospices / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D006278:Medicare; D010067:Ownership; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014838:Volunteers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Medicare Hospice Benefit; freestanding; hospice; trends; volunteers