All posts by Cary Gersh

ALPENA, Mich. (Sept. 20, 2017) – Hospice of Michigan is seeking caring and compassionate individuals to donate their time as volunteers in the Alpena area. The nonprofit organization will hold a training session from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 at 145 N. State Ave. in Alpena. Those who have a passion for patient companionship, or who are music-minded or military-focused, are encouraged to attend the one-day training session.

Individuals will learn about working with patients, as well as information about the nonprofit hospice agency, its patients and the benefits that active volunteers may experience. Hospice of Michigan’s volunteer program manager, Kathy Lietaert, will lead the training session.

The Hospice of Michigan volunteer program shapes each contributor’s experience to accommodate individual availabilities and preferences. The training session offers the opportunity to build relationships, develop new skills, and ultimately make a difference in the community.

The training session is open to the public. Please call Kathy Lietaert at 231.779.5409 to register. To submit an online application prior to the session, please visit www.hom.org/volunteer-application/. Paper applications will also be available the day of the session.

For more information about Hospice of Michigan, visit www.hom.org

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Sept. 13, 2017) – Join Hospice of Michigan and Michael’s Place for Writing Through Loss: A Salve for Healing, a workshop program that uses writing as a form of healing from grief. The group will meet every Thursday between Sept. 14 and Oct. 19 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Michael’s Place, located at 1212 Veterans Dr. in Traverse City.

The event is free and open to adults grieving a loss and interested in writing, regardless of whether or not their loved one received service from Hospice of Michigan. Journals and pens will be provided, and light refreshments will be served.

The group will be led by Kathryn Holl and Melissa Fournier, licensed professionals in the counseling and social work fields. Holl is a grief support services manager at Hospice of Michigan and former instructor of Life Story writing. Fournier, program director at Michael’s Place, is a social worker and writer whose poetry has appeared in the Dunes Review, The Sow Ear’s Poetry Review, and is forthcoming in Pulse. She received the 2013 William J. Shaw Prize for Poetry awarded by Michigan Writers.

By sharing experiences and writing about their loss, group members can find a means to heal on the journey of grief.

To register, contact Kathryn Holl at kholl@hom.org or 231.929.1557.

About Hospice of Michigan

A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

JENSION, Mich. (Sept. 7, 2017) – Members of the Jenison and Grand Rapids communities are invited to attend The Ties That Bind, a Hospice of Michigan grief support program, on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The event will be held in the Georgetown Senior Center at 7100 8^th Ave. in Jenison.

The Ties That Bind is designed to aid those who wish to communicate their thoughts, memories, instructions, and wishes to loved ones regarding their end-of-life preferences. A form will be provided along with supplies for noting wishes and writing letters. The program will also offer guidance for resolving and forgiving past and present concerns with friends and loved ones.

The event is free and open to the public, regardless of whether or not a loved one has received care from Hospice of Michigan.

To register, please contact Bonnie Chasseur at bchasseu@hom.org or (616) 340-7363.

About Hospice of Michigan

A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

HART (Sept. 5, 2017) – All members of the local community who have lost a loved one are invited to come out for Fly & Remember from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 20. This free event, hosted by Hospice of Michigan, welcomes participants to take a moment to remember their loved one and share happy memories while personalizing a kite in their honor. The event will take place at Oceana County Medical Care Facility, located at 701 E. Main in Hart.

All are welcome at Fly & Remember, regardless of whether their loved one received care from Hospice of Michigan. Kite-making materials will be provided free of charge.

To register, contact Katie Gedraitis at kgedrait@hom.org or (231) 845-3423.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., (Aug. 31, 2017) – The Community Health Accreditation Program, Inc. (CHAP) announced that Hospice of Michigan (HOM) has been awarded accreditation under the CHAP Hospice Standards of Excellence. Additionally, Arbor Hospice, which HOM affiliated with in 2016, also earned CHAP accreditation.

CHAP accreditation demonstrates that HOM meets the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. Rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources, and long-term viability. Accreditation reinforces HOM and Arbor are providing the highest quality of service to patients and their families in 48 counties across lower Michigan.

“As Hospice of Michigan continues to grow, we will always be driven by our mission to give comfort, assurance and care to families and patients who have life-limiting illnesses,” said HOM and Arbor president and CEO Bob Cahill. “We are proud to receive exceptional survey results that deem our nonprofit organizations’ service to be outstanding while meeting the industry’s high quality of standards.”

“By achieving CHAP accreditation, Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice have shown a commitment to excellence,” said Karen Collishaw, CHAP president and CEO. “We are excited to begin our partnership with Hospice of Michigan by offering support in its commitment to providing quality care and continuous improvement.”

HOM and Arbor are nonprofit agencies that provide care for all – regardless of age, diagnosis, or ability to pay. Both offer a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end-of-life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs.

CHAP is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body for home and community-based health care organizations.

About Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state, with roots dating back to the 1970s. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Arbor has been providing quality, compassionate care for those experiencing life-limiting illnesses throughout southeast Michigan since 1984.

Combined, the affiliated organization cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day across the state.

Together, HOM and Arbor raise more than $6 million each year to cover the cost of care for uninsured and underinsured patients. Both nonprofit organizations provide a broad range of certified hospice and palliative care services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs, grief support and counseling and caregiver education and support. Additionally, HOM offers education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. Arbor offers inpatient hospice care. For more information about HOM, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org. For more information about Arbor, call 888.992.2273 or visit www.arborhospice.org.

About Community Health Accreditation Program, Inc.

CHAP is an independent, not-for-profit, accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. Created in 1965, CHAP was the first to recognize the need and value for accreditation in community-based care. CHAP is the oldest, national, community-based accrediting body with more than 5,000 agencies currently accredited nationwide. Through “deeming authority” granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice, and home medical equipment services, to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards. CHAP’s purpose is to define and advance the highest standards of community-based care.

For more information about the CHAP accreditation process, please visit the CHAP website at www.chapinc.org. For additional information on CHAP, please contact Michael S. Grogan, Senior Vice President of Business Development, at 202.862.3413 or mgrogan@chapinc.org.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Aug. 30, 2017) – Come light up the night at the inaugural Memorial 5K Glow Run to benefit Hospice of Michigan. The nighttime event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 410 Bridge Street in Elk Rapids. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. with check-in and “Best in Glow” awards to be handed out prior to the Glow Run at 6:30 p.m. The race will officially start at 7:15 p.m.

The family and pet-friendly race is open to all levels of participants, with runners and walkers welcome to join. Racers are encouraged to wear bright clothes and cover themselves in glow sticks, glow paint, or anything colorful and luminous. The “Best in Glow” contest will award prizes to those with the most radiant look, separated into five categories: Best Glow Family, Best Glow Kid (12 and under), Best Glow Teen (13-19), Best Glow Adult, and Best Glow Dog.

Following these events, participants are invited to the after-glow party, featuring live music, food and beverages. In addition, participants can write a message on the memorial tree in remembrance of their loved one, or visit the photo booth to commemorate their Glow Run experience. A pet station will also be available offering treats and drinks for furry racers

Participants must register for the event by midnight on Monday, Oct. 9. Entry fee for adults (13 and older) is $35, and for children (12 and under), $20. Funds raised will remain in the community to support Hospice of Michigan’s Open Access program to ensure quality end-of-life care is available to all.

For more information, please visit www.hom.org/glowrun.

About Hospice of Michigan

A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

MUSKEGON, Mich. (Aug. 16, 2017) – Join Hospice of Michigan for a comedy improv grief workshop at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at Sytsema-Lee Chapel, located at 6291 Harvey Street in Norton Shores, Michigan. The nonprofit hospice organization will help individuals coping with grief, through a supportive, caring and laughter-filled event to work through loss.

This hour and a half workshop is designed to provide a fun and healing experience to those in grief by demonstrating that even in the darkest of times, there is a light forward to joy and hope.  Leading the workshop will be Bart Sumner, founder of Healing Improv, a group that brings the therapeutic power of group improv games to share laughter with all those who need it. After the passing of Sumner’s 10-year-old son, he used his 20 years of experience in improvisational theatre to get himself through the unimaginable.

“When you have lost someone you love, it can feel as if you will never smile again,” said Bonnie Chasseur, grief support services manager of Hospice of Michigan. “But with this improv group we fight that feeling head on. It reminds people that it is ok to smile and see joy in the world, even after a loved one has passed on. We care not just for our patients, but their family and friends.”

Support groups and events are open to everyone, regardless of whether their loved one received services from Hospice of Michigan. All grief support programs are free of charge, but donations are welcome to help support the nonprofit’s programming. Snacks will be served. This event is open to all adults in the community but you must register for the event by calling Bonnie Chasseur at 616.340.7363.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Aug. 16, 2017) – Members of the Grand Rapids community are invited to join seven local hospice organizations for We Remember: A Community Interfaith Memorial Event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept.14 at Dominican Center at Marywood, located at 2025 Fulton St. E in Grand Rapids.

The annual interfaith event, sponsored by Emmanuel Hospice, Faith Hospice, Grace Hospice, Heartland Hospice, Hospice of Michigan, Kindred Hospice and Spectrum Health Hospice and Palliative Care allows those who lost a loved one to share memories and honor a special family member or friend. This free event is open to the public and all ages are welcome.

At 6 p.m., representatives from the Secular, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions will lead a one hour memorial service. Each guest is encouraged to bring a photo or other small memorabilia of their loved one to display. An American Sign Language interpreter will also be available during the interfaith service.

Various memorial activities are planned from 7 to 8 p.m. and guests can choose their level of participation, by attending one or all of the evening’s activities including:

• Planting flowers in a remembrance garden
• Taking part in a reflective nature walk, hosted by Instruments of Hope, in the St. Francis of Assisi Sculpture Garden
• Decorating and flying a kite as part of Hospice of Michigan’s annual Fly & Remember
• Remembering loved ones in front of a memorial fire

We Remember is supported by Dominican Center at Marywood, Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, Islamic Center of West Michigan, Instruments of Hope, and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute.

For more information about We Remember, please call 616.514.3325 or visit https://dominicancenter.com/programs/we-remember-an-interfaith-memorial-service/

About the participants:

Emmanuel Hospice:  Emmanuel Hospice is an interfaith collaboration of four local organizations with more than 200 years of combined experience providing quality health care services in West Michigan. St. Ann’s, Clark, Porter Hills and Sunset have joined together to deliver the highest level of holistic care to those who have reached the end of life and their loved ones wherever home is.

Dominican Center at Marywood: The Dominican Center’s mission is to foster the growth and transformation of persons, communities, and organizations through prayer, learning, and collaboration in an inclusive, hospitable environment.

Faith Hospice: The greater Grand Rapids area’s first faith-based hospice, Faith Hospice cares for approximately 1,500 patients annually through in-home hospice care services and Trillium Woods, the area’s only dedicated in-patient hospice center.  Part of the Holland Home system of care, Faith Hospice focuses on providing expert and compassionate physical, emotional, and spiritual care to the loved ones and families it serves.

Grace Hospice: Grace Hospice, along with Visiting Physicians Association (VPA), Pinnacle Senior Home Care, and The Home DME are all part of the nationally recognized healthcare continuum of the U.S. Medical Management. As end-of-life care providers, our mission at Grace Hospice is for each employee to treat every patient as their own treasured loved one, providing care that affords a quality of life that outweighs quantity of days, and supports caregivers as their hearts find healing.

Heartland Hospice:  Heartland Hospice first opened its doors in the greater Grand Rapids area in 1999, and is part of the HCR Manor Care family. Heartland Hospice is the third largest hospice provider in the nation and believes in providing care wherever the patient or family calls home.

Hospice of Michigan:  A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state. The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs.

Instruments of Hope: Instruments of Hope is a Michigan-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting peace through various artistic endeavors. Our vision is to build the St. Francis of Assisi Sculpture Garden. Visitors are able to walk and sit along meandering pathways through wooded areas and gardens. Inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, the bronze statues depict him in postures of prayer, meditation, preaching and interacting with nature.  The statues are placed in areas conducive to quiet reflection. The Garden is located on the grounds of the Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 E. Fulton, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Kindred Hospice: Kindred Hospice an affiliate of Kindred at Home is one of the nation’s largest post acute services provider in the country. When healing and curative treatments are no longer an option for individuals at end-of-life, Kindred’s hospice team provides a family oriented, interdisciplinary model of care designed to meet the emotional, spiritual, and physical needs of patients.

Kaufman Interfaith Institute: The mission of Kaufman Interfaith Institute is to promote interfaith understanding and mutual respect in West Michigan through interfaith dialogue and service we promote a vibrant and diverse community for all generations.

Spectrum Health Hospice and Palliative Care:  A belief in compassionate, patient and family centered care drives our teams to excellence. We are fortunate to be well connected with the many resources of the large Spectrum Health system, yet pride ourselves in providing personal care to patients, families and healthcare partners in 11 counties.  Our non-profit organization is committed to continued program development and education to better reach the changing needs of each individual community.  The goal of our nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides and physicians is to honor and respect the values of each individual in every interaction.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., (Aug. 11, 2017) – The Hospice of Michigan Foundation has welcomed Michael TerHorst as the newest board member.

TerHorst and his wife, Liz, were introduced to hospice and palliative care shortly after their newborn daughter Sophie was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a fatal disease that affects motor neurons in the spinal cord. Living in Chicago at the time, the TerHorsts made the decision to enter Sophie into palliative care.

On her 9-month birthday, Sophie passed away peacefully in her mother’s arms at home.

Moving back to their roots in West Michigan, the TerHorsts dedicated themselves to using their experience to aid other patients and families going through end-of-life care, leading Michael TerHorst to Hospice of Michigan as a board member.

“Sophie’s quality of life was the most important thing to Liz and me. Our hospice experience gives us an appreciation for the remarkable work Hospice of Michigan does in this community,” TerHorst said. “The journey through end-of-life care is difficult for all who are involved. But receiving assistance from a hospice organization like HOM that is not only knowledgeable, but compassionate, makes all the difference in the world.”

Liz TerHorst joins her husband in honoring Sophie’s memory by volunteering with HOM’s pediatric service, providing a listening ear and guidance to families who are navigating the same difficult circumstances. She is also working with research teams at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital (Ann Arbor) and Lurie Children’s Hospital (Chicago) to improve physician/patient/ family communication.

Michael TerHorst is vice president, Antares Capital, and Liz TerHorst (DPT, OCS) is a physical therapist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. They reside with Sophie’s three younger siblings in East Grand Rapids.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Aug. 1, 2017) – Hospice of Michigan will honor individuals and organizations during Chandeliers in Flight from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7 at the Amway Hangar located at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, 5410 44^th St. SE in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This fundraising event celebrates honorees for their passion and commitment to the nonprofit hospice organization, as well as supports the nonprofit’s mission to provide comfort and care to all those in need of its services, regardless of diagnosis, age or the ability to pay.

A Crystal Rose Award will be presented to the following:

• Travis Earley, Brandon Finnie, Gary Grahs, Joe and Niki Infante, Ian Koffler, Jeff and Lisa Royce, and Kirby Shotwell will be honored as Outstanding Volunteers for their leadership of the Barley, BBQ & Beats Steering Committee. The group coordinated the first-of-its-kind community celebration tapping into West Michigan’s love of barbecue and craft cocktails. In 2016, the inaugural fundraiser raised more than $221,000 to help support Hospice of Michigan’s Open Access program. The following year, the event increased attendance and raised more than $259,000 to provide quality end-of-life care to those who need it.
• Dave Dickens and Dr. John Maurer will be recognized as Outstanding Individuals for their longtime work as Hospice of Michigan physicians. Dr. Maurer began working with Hospice of Michigan in 1984 as one of the first volunteer physicians supporting the nonprofit organization. His dedication continues through his work on the Board of Trustees. Dr. Dickens served as the nonprofit’s pediatric medical director the Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Program for Children for more than 12 years. He has also served on the Hospice of Michigan Foundation Board of Directors.
• Warner Norcross & Judd LLP will receive Outstanding Corporate Partner honors for its longtime support of Hospice of Michigan. Over the years, the law firm has generously donated experiences to pediatric hospice patients and their families, allowing them to create precious memories while connecting with other families facing similar challenges.

The Crystal Rose symbolizes the nonprofit’s roots as a volunteer-based organization and the early practice of placing a single, long-stemmed red rose on the bed of a patient after death in tribute to that person’s life.

“For more than 20 years, Hospice of Michigan has celebrated and honored its supporters through the Celebration of Life and Love Crystal Rose Gala. Chandeliers in Flight is a fun, new twist on this time honored event and we’re thankful to have such amazing individuals who make a real difference in our organization,” said Robert Cahill, Hospice of Michigan president and CEO. “Because of their extraordinary dedication and support, Hospice of Michigan is able to provide quality hospice and palliative care to all those who need it.”

The evening will feature a strolling dinner, fine wine and cocktails, featuring a “Take Flight” signature drink. Guests can also capture photos with a plane and helicopter as the backdrop. Individual tickets are available for $100 which includes valet parking. Sponsorship opportunities are also available beginning at $1,000.

Chandeliers in Flight is generously sponsored by Amway, Bluewater Productions, Fifth Third Bank, Hansen Balk Steel Treating, Signworks of Michigan, and Wolverine World Wide.

For more information about the evening or to become an event sponsor, please contact Alexandra Wilson at 616.356.5288 or awilson@hom.org. To purchase tickets, please visit www.hom.org/flight.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original – and largest – hospice in the state.  The nonprofit cares for nearly 1,800 patients each day, raising more than $5 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured.  HOM offers a broad range of services to enhance the quality of life at the end of life, including community-based palliative care and pediatric care programs. HOM provides grief support and counseling, caregiver education and support, and education programs for physicians and health care professionals through its research, training and education arm, the Hospice of Michigan Institute. In January 2016, HOM joined forces with Arbor Hospice and Palliative Care, strengthening the mission of nonprofit hospice in Michigan to ensure patients and their caregivers receive the highest quality of care. For more information, call 888.247.5701 or visit www.hom.org.