For over 25 years, Hospice of Little Traverse Bay (HOLTB) has been providing end-of-life and palliative care for residents of Charlevoix, Emmet and Cheboygan counties.  Our mission is to provide comfort, support and end-of-life care as we would for our own loved ones.

Hospice is patient/family-centered care. Families are given the tools to care for their loved one – hospice follows their lead, offering comfort and support along the way.

Care is provided wherever the patient calls home:  their home, relative’s home, adult foster care, assisted living, nursing homes and hospitals.  In 2008, HOLTB will open the first residence/inpatient hospice facility in Petoskey.  Hiland Cottage is a seven bedroom residence for patients whose caregivers can not manage their symptoms at home or for those who have no caregivers.

HOLTB provides care to patients regardless of their ability to pay.  80% of hospice patients are Medicare eligible. Hospice of Little Traverse Bay provides care to over 140 patients and their loved ones annually.
 
Below are the services we provide to our patients and their families:

• Professional medical services of physicians, nurses, social workers, home health aides and other therapists as needed
• Volunteers
• Spiritual care providers
• Bereavement Counselors
• ALL medication related to the terminal diagnosis and required for comfort and symptom management
• ALL medical equipment (beds, lifts, wheelchairs, walkers)
• ALL medical supplies
• Bereavement follow up services for family members for up to 13 months after the patients death

While patient care is primary, there’s more to Hospice of Little Traverse Bay than medical management of symptoms to make patients comfortable. There’s also:

• Respite time for family members
• Counseling support for families as a whole as they care for dying patients
• Support for children and grandchildren
• Meeting the emotional and psychological needs of everyone involved in the end-of-life experience
• Spiritual care
• Homemaker support

We provide bereavement support to patients' families for 13 months following the death of their loved one. Support includes home visits, phone contact, monthly mailings and support groups. All of the Hospice support services provide a safe place for feelings to be expressed openly in a nonjudgmental setting.

Other Services Hospice of Little Traverse Bay provides to the community

HOLTB created Safe Crossings community support services utilizing the expertise of the grief and bereavement counselors.  Supportive programs include a Children’s Support Program, Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Program, Survivors of Suicide Loss Support, Adult grief support and education and counseling support for those newly diagnosed with a life limiting illness.  HOLTB provides these community services to over 350 adults and children annually. All of the above programs are free and open to the community.  (link to group calendar)

Ongoing Needs:

• Support for the Safe Crossings community support services – particularly the Children’s program
• Memorial gardens at Hiland Cottage
• Quality of Life Fund support for patients without insurance

If you would like to support Hospice of Little Traverse Bay, you can donate online.

Did You Know:

• Hospice is a philosophy of care, respecting the dignity and worth of each person
   
• Hospice care is available to anyone, at any age with a life limiting illness
   
• Hospice focuses on comfort rather than curative treatment
   
• Patients and families help decide what type of care is right for them – hospice is there to walk alongside and be a support system
   
• Services are provided by a team of hospice staff including nurses, home health aides, family counselors, spiritual caregivers, volunteers, therapists and physicians
   
• Once a patient chooses hospice care, all treatments, medications, medical equipment and supplies related to the life limiting illness are taken care of by the hospice
   
• Care is provided in the home, nursing home, hospital, assisted living facility or any place the patient calls home