Frequently Asked Questions

Medicare does pay for hospice care, but occasionally a patient may have needs that are not covered by Medicare. For example, a bed-bound patient may need a new pair of pajamas but neither the patient nor the care giver can afford them. A nurse or aid can purchase the pajamas through Heart of Hospice Foundation.

Most of the time a staff member (nurse, aid, social worker) will notify a Foundation board member about a patient's or family member's need. Occasionally a volunteer making "Tuck-In" calls (making sure everyone has what they need for the weekend) or bereavement calls will have a patient or family member express a need. The volunteer notifies a board member. When the need is something the Foundation can pay for, board members do their best to fill the needs as quickly as possible--especially if the need involves food or utility payments.

All board members are volunteers and do not receive any compensation. The Foundation does pay a boookkeeper as an independent contractor.

Yes, Heart of Hospice Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. The tax ID number is 20-5895894. All donations are tax deductible. 

No, there is no cost for the butterflies and the Butterfly Release is open to the public.

The purpose of Joyful Hearts is to bring a little sunshine into a hospice patient's day. This may be through a favorite coffee drink, a sweet treat, a favorite magazine, or anything that brings a smile to a patient's face.

The Good Neighbor program helps hospice patients and family members who are struggling financially. We have provided groceries when needed, and paid utility bills for surviving family members. Heart of Hospice has also arranged travel for a family member to see their relative one last time to say goodbye.

Each Heart of Hospice foundation location presents a surviving family member with a memento of their loved one. At  Bristol Hospice Klamath Falls, Oregon, a family member receives a Memory Stone--a beautifully painted stone depicting a special reminder of the patient. At Bristol Hospice  Hood River, Oregon, family members receive a glass heart, created by a local artist. At Bristol Hospice East GA in Watkinsville, Georgia, family members receive a stone heart.