Grants Officer Perspective, by Melanie Maraugha

Having previously been on the “frontlines” of social work, I can appreciate the time and commitment it takes to provide supportive care to meet the non-physical needs of patients and caregivers. Although my experience was not hospice-related, I remember endless hours of documentation, interviewing, educating and discharge planning. In addition, I developed care plans, assessed safety and spent time gaining an understanding of my patients’ diverse beliefs and faith traditions. My main purpose was to build relationships, not only with my patients, but with the communities in which they lived, and then act as a liaison between the two.

My job title, “Case Manager,” really didn’t seem to fit. A better title would have been “Seeker.” Social workers and bereavement coordinators spend much of their time seeking. They seek out ways to improve their patients’ quality of life, ensuring that they live and die in an environment bathed in dignity and comfort. In order to accomplish this, they have to seek out resources to provide shelter, food, clothing, financial assistance, medical assistance and other resources in an attempt to meet the needs of their patients and their caregivers. In today’s economic climate, resources are scarce, and community service providers are overwhelmed and understaffed.

The Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund is a refreshing oasis for the seekers. Family and friends of Heartland Hospice patients continually demonstrate their appreciation for the excellent care their loved ones received by donating to the fund. Their donations, in turn, provide refreshment in the form of financial assistance for those who are coping with life-limiting illness, death, and the process of grief and bereavement and to support community-based services and education related to hospice care.

So many terminally ill individuals and their families are experiencing financial distress and unable to be self-sufficient due to the circumstances of their terminal diagnosis. Thanks to the family and friends of Heartland Hospice patients, there are funds available to meet the needs of these families. I am honored to serve this compassionate and committed group of “seekers” and so appreciative of the “givers” who continue to provide the funds of “refreshment.”

I joined the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund board of directors in January 2010. Despite the training and orientation I received on the process for reviewing grants, I was not prepared for the real-life stories in the requests for a grant from the Fund.

One of the first grant applications I reviewed involved a husband who had taken a leave from his job to care for his wife during her last few months. He and his wife had spent their entire savings to provide care for her at home. They had three young children who were overwhelmed with the thought of losing their mother. The grant they were requesting would assist in covering household bills and free the husband of financial concerns for a brief period to allow the family to focus on the time they had left together.

This story struck home for me because I realized that a health issue such as this could happen to me and my family. What would life be like for my two sons if they lost their mother so early in their lives? It put into perspective what is really important and made me proud to work for a company that provides this type of assistance to families and caregivers in a time of need.

The main purpose of the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund is to assist those who are coping with terminal illness, death, and the process of grief and bereavement. In addition, the Hospice Memorial Fund supports community-based services and education related to hospice care. Many families often look for ways to show their gratitude for hospice services they receive. We need to encourage families who are thankful to donate to our Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund so we continue to expand the level of support we provide to families in need and to community-based services.

I am a proud to be a member of the Heartland Hospice Memorial Find board of directors and wish to thank those employees who provide a high level of care to families at such a difficult time in their lives.

Introducing the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund Blog...

We are delighted to introduce the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund blog. We have created this communication tool as a way to share information about the happenings of the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund. We will post recent news, program highlights, success stories, personal accounts and upcoming event information.

We hope you will join us in sharing the joy of the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund. We have so many inspiring stories to tell about the peace and fulfillment brought to patients facing the end-of-life through this remarkable fund. Please follow us in our mission of hope.