Hope Hospice and Home Health is a mission-driven, community-led, nonprofit organization. Hope was founded in 1980 as a non-profit hospice provider serving the Tri-Valley area. Originally, Dublin-based Hope offered hospice services only. Today it has expanded its services to include home health services, advanced illness care, and a dementia support program to meet the growing needs of the community.

"Hope Hospice and Home Health provides exceptional personalized care, delivered with compassion and professionalism," says Jennifer Hansen, Chief Executive Officer. "We are focused on what's best for the patient, rather than being driven by profit or financial demands."

Dementia has now surpassed cancer as the most common condition upon patient referral, according to Hansen. On the clinical side, all Hope staff and volunteers are trained in dementia care so that they can provide the best possible care to patients. Hope also offers dementia-specific courses in its Family Caregiver Education Series, led by specialist Jill Smith, RN. The 14-class series is made available to the general public at no cost; attendees are not required to have a family member who is a Hope patient in order to benefit from the Family Caregiver classes. Hope also offers complimentary grief services for up to 13 months. The services include classes, grief support groups, and specialized grief services.

"Hope exists because a small group of caring citizens expressed concern for terminally ill people who were facing death in the loneliness and isolation of a hospital setting," notes Hansen. "Non-profit hospice providers are rare. As a non-profit, we are able to put patient needs before all else. Our nurses often say that an important example of this is the time allowed to spend with a patient. Hope nurses are scheduled so as to allow the time needed to thoroughly care for the patient and to keep the same care team with the patient through the duration of care."

Over the years Hope has expanded its service area into neighboring East Bay communities as well as expanding its services. Hope's invaluable services are made possible in part by volunteers. Hope patient care volunteers help patients and their families in many different ways. They may help by visiting with patients or delivering a meal, doing office work, or giving a family caregiver a much-needed break. Compassion and a desire to serve is all volunteers need to make a difference.

The nonprofit also relies on donations and fundraisers to support its important mission in providing hospice and other critical services. Registration is now open for the fifth annual Hope 100 Golf Marathon, which will take place on September 30, 2019, at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton. The day involves completing 100 holes on a beautiful course, with stops along the way for refreshments. The Hope 100 Golf Marathon is a unique annual event for Hope Hospice in which each golfer commits to raising $2,500, with net proceeds benefiting Hope's patient care and grief support programs in the East Bay/Tri-Valley areas. Participation is limited to 36 golfers.

Those golfers, others who donate, and Hope volunteers are part of the support network that makes it possible for the professionals at Hope to be there to help those in need. "We will be there to support you, every step of the way," says Hansen. "You can count on us to be there when you need us, whether providing pain relief or guiding you through your journey. We are available to you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."

For more information about Hope Hospice and Home Health, please visit www.hopehospice.com.