An upcoming event aims to educate community members about hospice, as well as a pilot program that looks to provide hospice services for free to qualifying residents.

The presentation will be held this coming Monday, October 14th, at the Fowlerville United Brethren Church on west Grand River Avenue. The informative conversation is being organized by Registered Nurse Jennifer Fargo, who purchased an adult foster care home known as the “Guest House of Fowlerville” with intentions to transition the building into a hospice home that specializes in end of life care.

Fargo will discuss her idea for a social model hospice home, which is a donation and grant-based program that would provide hospice services to qualifying individuals for free. To qualify, the person must be enrolled with a hospice company and are typically in the last weeks and months of their life. Fargo says she wants residents to know that there is someone in the area who has a heart for taking care of people who are at the end of their life, and that she wants to get the word out about the program that could offer those services free of charge.

Monday’s event will also feature Julie Capra, Advisor from Arbor Hospice, who will give a presentation called “Fact or Fiction: The Truth about Comfort Care”. The goal of the presentation is to remove fear from the subject of hospice, dying, and death, which Fargo says are topics that are often considered “taboo” in society. Fargo feels most people don’t want to talk about hospice or a person’s last days but adds, "Hospice is about a lot more than the last days. It’s about adding quality to your days, not necessarily adding days to your life."

Fargo says the upcoming event will be “casual”, and simply serves to answer questions community members may have, while also informing them about the pilot program she is bringing to Livingston County. The event is from 6:30 to 8:30pm and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Details can be found at the link below. (DK)