LAPEER, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Four County Community Foundation has created a new fund, Hospice Homes of Genesee and Lapeer Counties, to provide end-of-life care to local residents.

“A lot of times when it was time for hospice for a patient, there was some cracks that fell through,” said Diane Welker, one of the group’s founders and a retired palliative care nurse practitioner at Hurley Medical Center. “They had nowhere to go and they didn’t have the money to go to assisted living because it costs between five and seven thousand a month.”

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The fund plans to open a non-medical hospice, called a “Guest House,” in Genesee County. The building would provide a free residence for hospice patients, without considering ability to pay or seeking reimbursement from any insurance provider. Individuals in the home will be able to choose from more than a dozen area hospice agencies for care.

Welker said the fund has raised $95,000 so far and that the group is hoping to purchase a three-bedroom home, which would later be expanded.

“We want to get a house because once we have a house, we can become more visible to the community. It’s also hard to get a loan as a nonprofit, so that’s been a factor too,” she said.

The organization is seeking volunteers, board members, and a financial assistant. More information can be found through their website.