Palliative care can be appropriate at any stage of an illness. It is a holistic approach to health care that goes beyond the physical wellbeing of the resident, attending to their spiritual, emotional and psychological needs. Hospice care is a specialized form of palliative care designed to support those in the final stages of a terminal illness. Comfort Care is available during the last 90 days of someone’s life with the resident and family agreeing there will be no heroic measures taken to prolong life.
Our services are provided free-of-charge to our home’s residents. We are an independent, not-for-profit organization and money to run Gateway Home is generated entirely through community support, donations and grants. Our annual operating expenses must be covered by monies received from memorials, honorary donations, bequests, donations from people, corporations, service organizations, plus grants and fund-raising events.
A nonprofit grant is financial support given to nonprofits by corporations, foundations, or government agencies. They are beneficial for nonprofits because they provide the opportunity for additional funding that doesn’t need to be paid back and they increase awareness of their organization. Grants have also allowed us to make some improvements to our property that wouldn’t have been possible without the additional funding. Gateway Home relies solely on fundraising, memorials, donations, and grants for funding. With operating expenses exceeding $200k per year a lot of hard work and research is done to apply for grants in hopes of receiving funds to help keep our doors open. Gateway Home has been fortunate enough to be granted several grants over the years that allowed the doors to open and that have helped make it possible for us to serve our community.
We have been generously supported by various grant sources. The Hope grant was used for home improvement. The Conable Family Foundation and the East Hill Foundation grants were utilized for renovations. The William F. Thiel Trust provided us with funds for medical equipment. The Ralph C. Wilson Legacy Funds were used for caregiver training and operating expenses. Home Depot provided us with a grant for an ADA compliant ramp. The Garman Family Foundation funded a generator for us. United Way contributed to our operating expenses, and the Odd Fellow & Rebekah grant was used for nurses and care aid payroll. These grants have played a significant role in helping us continue to fulfill our mission.
We do not receive any financial funding from the government or from insurance companies.
All care given at Gateway Home is provided by volunteers or staff members who are trained to provide the best possible care. We change caregivers every two hours during our day and evening shifts so our caregivers come in renewed and refreshed. Our overnight shift from 10-8 is usually manned by one caregiver. Interested individuals do not need to have any healthcare experience to become a volunteer – just an open heart and a willingness to learn how to care for another person. We help volunteers do the rest!
Admission to Gateway Home is based on an assessment of those who have the greatest need and the fewest options. A physician must have determined that the person has a terminal illness and is in their last three months of life. We are not able to accept every person who is referred and can only care for up to two dying residents at one time. Each case is evaluated carefully by our Assessment Caregivers and Director of Resident Care and priority is given to those people who have the greatest need at the time; i.e., those who are at home with limited adequate care giving support. Other considerations involve the complexity of nursing care that some people may require.
We do not use intravenous fluids, feeding tubes or CPR (resuscitation). It ensures that comfort care, pain management, and symptom control will accompany a natural death process, in an atmosphere filled with love. It is not uncommon to have multiple people waiting for the next available bed. When a bed is available, our Assessment team evaluates all who are waiting, and choose the one who has the greatest need; not who is next on the list for admission.
The process for admission to Gateway Home begins with a referral from a physician, social worker, family member, friend, or other healthcare provider. Once a referral is received, our Assessment team will contact the person who is referred to schedule an assessment. The assessment is done in the person’s home or hospital room and takes about an hour. During the assessment, the person’s medical history, current symptoms, and care needs are discussed. The person’s family members or caregivers are also encouraged to participate in the assessment. After the assessment is completed, the person is placed on our waiting list. When a bed becomes available, the person is admitted to Gateway Home. The person’s family members or caregivers are encouraged to visit Gateway Home before the person is admitted to become familiar with the facility and meet the staff. Once the person is admitted, the person’s family members or caregivers are encouraged to visit as often as they like. We also encourage family members or caregivers to participate in the person’s care as much as they are able. We believe that family members and caregivers are an important part of the person’s care team and we welcome their involvement. We also provide support and education to family members and caregivers to help them care for their loved one. We believe that involving family members and caregivers in the person’s care helps to improve the person’s quality of life and provides comfort and support to the person and their family members or caregivers. We also provide support and education to family members and caregivers to help them care for their loved one. We believe that involving family members and caregivers in the person’s care helps to improve the person’s quality of life and provides comfort and support to the person and their family members or caregivers.
When a person is admitted to Gateway Home, they are encouraged to bring personal items that will make them feel more at home. We encourage residents to bring their own clothing, personal care items, and any other items that will make them feel more comfortable. We provide all the necessary medical equipment and supplies, as well as snacks. We also provide all the necessary linens and towels. We have a washer and dryer on site for residents to use. We also have a small library of books, puzzles, and games for residents to enjoy. We have a beautiful garden and patio area for residents to enjoy the outdoors. We also have a large living room with a fireplace and a television for residents to enjoy. We encourage residents to bring their own personal items to make their stay more comfortable. We also encourage family members to visit often and to participate in the care of their loved one. We have a family room with a kitchenette and a dining area for family members to use.
At times there may be remission of a person’s disease, and it may be necessary to be discharged from Gateway Home to an alternative placement: such as home, or moving in with a family member, or to a Nursing home. It’s amazing to see, and such a blessing, that with some conditions, proper symptom control management, socialization and tender loving care, people do go into remission and live longer than what was expected. The staff at Gateway Home will work closely with the Hospice team and family to determine the best alternative placement for our resident. Residents may return to Gateway Home and die peacefully when that time is appropriate and a bed is available.
YES! In fact, we could not operate without volunteers. There are many volunteer roles, so please consider your individual gifts and how you might utilize those to support the Gateway Home. The greatest need is resident care volunteers. If you prefer not to work with residents, there are numerous other opportunities available.