Hospice Care
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What is Hospice?
Hospice is a health care specialty that provides comfort, support, and education to patients with life limited health conditions as well as their families/caregivers.
At the center of hospice and palliative care is the belief that each of us has the right to die pain-free and with dignity, and that our families will receive the necessary support to allow us to do so. Hospice focuses on caring, not curing and, in most cases, care is provided in the patient’s home.
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The Hospice Philosophy
Hospice recognizes dying as a normal process, whether or not is results from disease. Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice exists in the hope and belief that, through appropriate care and the promotion of a caring, sensitive community, patients and their families may be free to attain some degree of mental and spiritual preparation for death that is comfortable to them.
Hospice affirms life by providing support and care for persons in the last phases of incurable disease so that they might live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice care is dedicated to support the dignity of the human experience. It is designed to help patients live at home, stay as active as possible, and express and accept their feelings. The Hospice program provides palliative care and therapeutic relief of the symptoms and stressors which may diminish the quality of life for terminally ill patients and their families.
Hospice treats the whole person by considering all aspects of the lives the patients and their families as valid areas of therapeutic concern. Those involved in the process of dying have a variety of physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs. The nature of dying is so unique for each person that the goal of hospice care is to be sensitive and responsible to the special requirements of each individual and family.
Caregivers
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The cost of hospice care is covered by Medicaid, Medicare and most other insurance providers. Our experienced staff will work with these insurers to make sure that patients receive any and all benefits available to them for their care. We provide care to anyone who seeks our help, regardless of their ability to pay or the complexity of their needs.
Volunteers
| A Volunteer May | A Volunteer May Not |
| Keep a patient company | Assist with transfers or provide any substantial assistance for patients who cannot move independently |
| Play games or watch movies with a patient | Provide transportation for patients or family members |
| Read aloud to or sing with a patient; play music for a patient | Assist with medications |
| Assist with letter writing, organizing photos, sorting mementos etc. | Assist with a patient’s toileting or personal hygiene needs |
| Help with light housework such as laundry or dishwashing (Both the volunteer and the patient/family must find this appropriate and there must be clear instructions provided from the patient/family) | Feed a patient (Volunteers may cut up food, pour beverages and bring food to the table) |
| Provide respite for family members who may wish to take a break, take a nap, or run some errands | |
| Run errands, walk dogs, assist with cooking…etc. |
Volunteer Requirements 
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must complete 20hr required training offered by Hospice
- Complete interview with Volunteer Coordinator
- Fairbanks Memorial Hospital mandates that all volunteers must have a flu shot prior to the flu season.
- Fairbanks Memorial Hospital mandates that all volunteers must have a Covid-19 vaccine.
- FHP Hospice Services will be responsible for acquiring and recording your:
- Background check
- Driving Record
- Verification of references
- Fingerprinting
- Participation in an orientation
- Volunteer Code of Conduct/HIPAA Confidentiality Statement
- Necessary health screenings (immunization and TB)
- Getting fit for an N95 mask
- ID badge
- TB test
If you are interested in volunteering, please email our Volunteer Coordinator, Leah Hill at Leah.Hill@foundationhealth.org.
Required Volunteer Forms
Resources
We are convinced the grieving person has four needs. The first is to find words to describe the experience of our loss. Second, we need to speak these words out loud. Thirdly, there is a need to have our words heard. And lastly, we have a need to hear the loss narrative words of others. Our grief support groups were put on hold due to the Covid-19 outbreak, but we are pleased to announce that we are planning on a new series of groups coming soon.
We Honor Veterans
The goal of the We Honor Veterans program is simple – to care for and honor those who have served when they reach the end of life. A vast majority of Veterans are not enrolled in VA and may not be aware of end-of-life services and benefits available to them, including the Medicare Hospice Benefit and VA-paid hospice care.
Donations
Donations allow us to continue our legacy of over three decades of providing high-quality end-of-life care to those in our community. Each donation goes directly to helping us carry out our mission to provide dignity and quality of life with compassion and commitment at the end of life. We thank the community of Fairbanks and beyond for your support and generosity.
Donations are managed through the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation. You can make your donation here and do not forget to select FMH Hospice Services when making your donation.
Off Campus
2001 Gillam Way
P: (907) 458-3090
F: (907) 458-3066
Standard office hours
Monday - Friday
8a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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