Hospice of San Luis Obispo County

OUR VISION

We envision a community that recognizes death as a part of life; where dying and grieving are embraced as natural; where all have access to support services without charge; where no one dies or is left to grieve without comfort.

OUR MISSION

We recognize death as a natural and personal event. In this spirit, we support the community in working with those near the end of life and the people who love them by providing in-home support, caregiver respite, grief counseling, support groups, community response, and education. All services are offered free of charge.

For over 41 years, Hospice of San Luis Obispo County (Hospice SLO County) has provided county-wide non-medical in-home respite care, emotional support, practical assistance, and comfort to individuals, their families and caregivers who are coping with a life-limiting illness.

Hospice SLO County Grief Counseling services offer individual and family counseling and group support to anyone grieving a death regardless of when or how the death occurred.

All Hospice SLO County Services are provided at no charge.

CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Hospice SLO County helps caregivers caring for loved ones with life-limiting illnesses to find and access extra resources and support needed. Being a family caregiver is stressful and our Care Manager strives to help ease the burden of finding appropriate resources to assist the home caregiver with respite, care needs, planning, or access to services.

IN-HOME SUPPORT
Hospice of San Luis Obispo County (Hospice SLO County) In-Home volunteers offer respite care to relieve the primary care person.

END-OF-LIFE DOULA PROGRAM
Just as a birth doula brings greater comfort and deeper meaning to the process of labor, Hospice SLO County’s (HSLO) End-of-Life Doulas offer the same level of support to the dying. End-of-Life doulas provide non-medical, holistic support and comfort to the dying person and their family, which may include education and guidance; emotional and spiritual support; and practical care.

GRIEF COUNSELING
Counseling is provided by Licensed Therapists, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapists and Associate Clinical Social Workers, and Master’s Prepared Trainees under the clinical supervision of licensed staff. Sessions typically provide clients with both emotional support, information, and an opportunity to explore how they can more effectively negotiate these challenges.

PET PEACE OF MIND
For many patients in hospice care, their physical condition leads to a decrease of previously enjoyed social opportunities and relationships. Their pets help to fill that void by offering unconditional love and acceptance, comfort, and companionship when it is needed most; such as when friends and family aren't seen as frequently, or when words are too hard to say. Pets are there for us, and Hospice SLO County’s Pet Peace of Mind program ensures that we are there for them, in return.

THRESHOLD SINGERS
Hospice SLO County Threshold Singers sing for those at the thresholds of life and dying. They offer a calm and focused presence with gentle voices, simple songs, and sincere kindness. Their songs can be soothing and reassuring to clients, family, and caregivers alike.

In pairs and trios, Threshold Singers visit homes, assisted living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities throughout San Luis Obispo County. They sing for individuals experiencing life-limiting or end-of-life conditions, offering peace, tranquility, and what has often been described as a spiritual experience for those for whom they sing.

For over 40 years, Hospice of San Luis Obispo County (Hospice SLO County) has depended on the generosity and time of volunteers to provide our free services throughout San Luis Obispo County.

We offer our comprehensive 30-hour In-Home Volunteer Training throughout the year. This training explores personal attitudes about death and dying, the history of hospice, current medical and non-medical approaches to end of life care, communication skills, anticipatory grief and bereavement, and spiritual, practical, and emotional support needs of clients and families including family dynamics.

In-Home Volunteers provide 3-4 hours of service per week. This training is also a pre-requisite for other training offered by Hospice SLO County including End-of-Life Doula, Grief Companions, and Community Response.

Counseling is provided by Licensed Therapists, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapists and Associate Clinical Social Workers, and Master’s Prepared Trainees under the clinical supervision of licensed staff. Sessions typically provide clients with both emotional support, information, and an opportunity to explore how they can more effectively negotiate these challenges.

Support groups are offered to allow the bereaved to find comfort and support by connecting with others in similar circumstances. Groups are also available for individuals who are struggling with a life-limiting illness and their loved ones. Support groups are available according to the needs of the community.

Hospice of San Luis Obispo County's Community Response Team provides timely counseling support, consultation, and education about grief and coping with loss, including anticipating a loss and sudden death. Community Response services are provided to businesses, schools, churches, government, and community agencies at no charge. Trained staff and volunteer counselors work with both children and adults and consult with groups and agencies on the approach that feels most helpful to them.

Services are usually provided at the group’s own site but can be done at another location if more appropriate. Hospice of SLO County’s counseling services are available to participants after the initial community response, in case an individual wants more support.

The major accomplishment of Hospice SLO County is that it has been able to remain a Volunteer Hospice.

The American hospice movement started in the 1960s as a grassroots, volunteer intensive approach to serving children and adults dealing with grief or a life-limiting or terminal illness. Volunteer hospices have continued to offer these services free of charge through the dedication and support of professional and hospice trained volunteers.

The U.S. hospice movement shifted dramatically to Medicare-certified programs by the late 1980s. Although the Medicare benefit has had a powerful effect on providing credibility and financial security to the hospice movement, it still limits services to potential clients based on their treatment choices, the duration of their illness, or the progress of their health decline. Volunteer hospices dedicate themselves to providing access to all who are dying or grieving in the community, regardless of whether a condition or situation meets federal Medicare requirements.

VOLUNTEER HOSPICE STANDARDS
 Provide free services to all clients.
 Offer services in partnership with all health care agencies in the community and is not exclusive to anyone.
 Provide an organized program of bereavement care to the survivors of clients served, and to any others in
the community who are dealing with grief issues and request assistance regardless of when or how the
death occurred.
 Provide community education regarding dying, death, grief, and end of life

Volunteer Hospices depend financially on the generosity of their local communities. Hospice SLO County develops a tight budget each year, minimizes expenses, functions with a small staff, and outreaches to the community for funding on a regular basis.

Besides remaining open and viable for 43 years, Hospice SLO County has started new programs in the previous decade including End-Of-Life Doulas, Pet Peace of Mind, and Threshold Singers.

In 2019 the Board of Directors voted to bring on a Director of Development. This position was filled in November of 2019 and is working on Major Gifts, Recurring Donations, and Planned Giving.

The next steps include increasing recurring donations and multi-year major gifts to ensure our budget needs are met each year.

Programmatically, we strive to offer more community education on death and dying, advanced care directives, planned giving, and volunteer opportunities.