About Our Organization

Hospicare uses an interdisciplinary team approach to provide those facing life-limiting illnesses with compassionate care.  We provide help to patients, families and caregivers in Tompkins and Cortland counties. We offer emotional, medical and spiritual support, and patients have access to care from Hospicare physicians, nurses, social workers, grief counselors, home health aides and volunteers. 

Patients' medical, emotional, and spiritual needs help determine the care provided, so they can more fully enjoy time with loved ones. Hospicare serves patients and families in their homes, in acute and chronic care facilities, and at our six-bed residence. 

As a part of our nonprofit mission and commitment to the community, we also provide bereavement support services to anyone in our service area who is grieving the death of a loved one, whether or not they died on hospice.

Why Does Hospicare Even Need Support?

Hospicare's annual budget is around $5 million. Much of that budget is covered by Medicare and other insurance and private pay. In fact, approximately 80%, ($4 million) of Hospicare's expenses are reimbursed to the agency as fees for services. 

But the remaining $1 million, or 20% of Hospicare's expenses, are not reimbursed, because they are expenses related to free and discounted community and patient services, excellence (going above and beyond what is required by hospice regulations), and fair pay for nurses and aides. 

Women Swimmin' accounts for about 10% of Hospicare's annual revenue and half of all charitable support for the agency. This support is the source of Hospicare's excellence and longevity and the reason that so many individuals and families in Cortland and Tompkins Counties write to Hospicare to give thanks:  "You made an enormous difference in our lives during a very difficult time when we needed compassionate care, expert advice, and a shoulder to lean on." 

What Your Gift Makes Possible

Without money raised through gifts to Women Swimmin' for Hospicare, there would be no Nina K. Miller Hospice Residence; there would be a much less robust bereavement program, lower-paid nurses, and fewer free community programs and services.

Your support for Women Swimmin' provides for the following:

• COMPASSIONATE HOSPICE CARE: Contributions support expert, compassionate care for patients with life-limiting illness, care that centers patients, provides comfort and support for spending time with family, offers respite care so that caregivers can run errands or take a break, and care that helps patients live as fully as possible, even towards the end of life.
• Education and Counseling: Contributions support caregivers in understanding how to make their home accessible; provide pillow wedges to patients to reduce the chance of bedsores; and support individuals at any stage of a serious illness through palliative care.
• PROGRAMMING FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN: Donations help a child participate in a workshop to create a clay memory box; support a patient who wishes to talk about advanced planning; and provide training to staff and volunteers to stay current on best practices in patient care.
• EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND PEACE: Contributions help Hospicare in its work to provide emotional support to patients who are struggling with complicated family dynamics; help a grieving spouse find a path forward; and provide counseling to a community group after a suicide.
• THE NINA K. MILLER RESIDENCE: Gifts to Women Swimmin' for Hospicare play an important role in making the Hospicare Residence accessible to people of all income levels. No one is turned away for lack of ability to pay, and sliding-scale fees are funded by gifts to Hospicare.