Hope Hospice’s mission is to deliver compassionate support and exceptional care in the home for individuals and communities, guiding them with choice and dignity to navigate significant care decisions. The nonprofit has supported patients, families, and healthcare professionals in the Tri-Valley and adjacent cities since 1980.

When Pleasanton-based Hope was founded in 1980, hospice care in the U.S. was still new. Across the nation, nonprofit, community-based care grew, supported by volunteers who wanted to offer compassionate comfort for those in the last phase of life.

As hospice care became more accepted and Medicare began covering it, the number of hospice agencies increased dramatically, according to Jennifer Hansen, Senior Vice President. In the last two decades, she says, there has been a huge shift and growth has been almost entirely from for-profit operations. Many nonprofits have been purchased by for-profit owners. Others have simply closed. Today, only about 20% of hospice agencies across the nation are nonprofit; in California, that number drops to 6%.

“This has huge implications for patients, families, and their communities,” Hansen says. “Studies show a large gap in the level and kind of care provided by nonprofit hospices and for-profit companies, who have incentives to cut labor costs and select patients for whom care is less expensive. Because of their missions and community support, nonprofit hospices like Hope can prioritize patient needs rather than insurance reimbursements.”

Through its vigil program, for example, Hope recently supported a patient who was actively dying with around-the-clock volunteer support to ensure that the patient did not die alone. Vigil volunteers provide companionship and presence. They might dim the lights, share quiet music, read, or simply sit and hold a patient’s hand.

Hospice care may be appropriate at any time during a life-threatening illness. Because the Medicare Hospice benefit provides coverage for those thought to have six months or less to live, many people correctly think of this as the definition of hospice. Hope officials say the quality of life of patients and families is highest when the patient is in hospice care for as long as possible.

“Patients and families often tell us that they wish they had known about or taken advantage of our services earlier,” Hansen says. “Entering hospice care is not giving up. It is an opportunity for patients to truly live the last months of their lives. By addressing the possibility of hospice soon after a terminal diagnosis, the patient benefits from the physical, emotional, and spiritual care needed to ease his or her transition. Hospice care gives patients and their loved ones the opportunity to cherish their time together.”

Last year was a time of growth for Hope, which merged with By the Bay Health and Mission Hospice & Home Care in January 2024. Together, they form the largest independent nonprofit hospice network in Northern California, with capacity to serve 1,100 patients daily. As a result of the merger, the By the Bay Kids Camp for grieving children and teens was expanded last year to families in the East Bay. The group also launched a new community care fund to support family caregivers with respite support.

One way to support Hope Hospice patient care and community programs is by attending its Third Annual Crab Feed on Saturday, February 15 at the Shannon Center in Dublin from 5 to 9 pm. The fundraiser features a social hour, raffle tickets, cash bar, dinner service, and dessert auction. Direct donations and volunteering also help ensure that Hope can continue providing excellent care to its patients as well as caretaker education and other programs.

“Volunteers are the heart and soul of our care, and many of our volunteers say that their time with patients is among the most meaningful experiences of their lives,” notes Hansen. “If you are caring, flexible, and a good listener, you can provide important emotional and social support for patients who are living with terminal illness.”

For more information about Hope Hospice, please visit www.hopehospice.com, www.facebook.com/HopeHospiceDublin, orwww.linkedin.com/company/hope-hospice-dublin-ca.

For more about volunteering, please visit www.hopehospice.com/volunteering.