Compassion, Dignity and Peace

Forty-five years ago few people knew the word hospice; fewer still recognized its potential to alleviate suffering. But one woman held a vision of what this philosophy of care could mean to her community.

This nurse, Elizabeth “Betty” Bulen, invited three of her friends, Betty Benz, Ann Elizabeth Warren, and Kay Elizabeth Austin, to work with her in establishing an organization of compassionate volunteers devoted to offering hospice care and palliative care to the terminally ill and their families. To strengthen this vision, Betty Bulen and Betty Benz visited St. Christopher’s Hospice in London. Inspired by what they saw, they began offering their first volunteer training. In 1978, they incorporated, naming this new entity, The Elizabeth Hospice, which shares the name of all the founders.

“People think hospice is about dying, but it’s really about celebrating life.” – Betty Bulen

The Elizabeth Hospice, a nonprofit hospice and healthcare leader, has been providing medical and emotional support to patients and families facing the challenges associated with an advanced life-limiting illness and restoring hope to grieving children and adults who are feeling lost and alone. Since 1978, we have touched the lives of more than 120,000 people in the communities we serve, offering medical and emotional support, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.

Diversity, equality and inclusion are at the core of our work at The Elizabeth Hospice. They are the promise we demonstrate to the community every time we open our hearts and doors to all who need our services. Our vision was built on this promise:

The Elizabeth Hospice aspires to a world in which every life ends with compassion, dignity and peace.

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END OF LIFE OPTION ACT

The hospice philosophy affirms life, promotes understanding and accepting that life eventually leads to death, and encourages people to view the experience as an opportunity for growth and the right to receive care that addresses pain management and symptom control to relieve suffering – which includes physical and emotional comfort through an interdisciplinary team of hospice professionals.

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those nearing life’s end and to provide support for those who are grieving. Our core beliefs include access to quality palliative care, tailored medical, emotional and spiritual support to the patient and the family, and support for the bereaved, while respecting the values of the larger society in which we operate.

As a nonprofit organization, we invest in resources to help patients live each day fully and comfortably by providing effective pain control and symptom management. We support the patient and family at this critical time, neither prolonging life nor hastening death and honoring self-determined life closure decisions.

The Elizabeth Hospice educates patients and families in all legal end of life options available. In support of their beliefs, whether agnostic or spiritual in nature, we view the end-of-life journey as coming alongside a patient and their family at a very special time in their lives, aspiring to provide an environment in which every life ends with compassion, dignity and peace.

These core values define our culture, our service, the comfort care we provide and our relationship with each other.