Preparing Hospice Caregivers with

Knowledge, Ability, & the Power to Act

Free videos, handouts, and a supportive community to help you feel prepared, confident, and less alone

We believe in creating a world where caregivers have the knowledge, ability, & emotional strength they need to accompany someone through hospice.

Do you feel….

Overwhelmed

Without clear guidance, every decision feels heavy, and the constant uncertainty leaves you exhausted and emotionally drained.

Afraid

You want to do what’s best for the person in your care, but without knowing what to expect, you fear making the wrong choice at a critical moment.

Alone

Hospice provides support, but there are long hours when you're the only one there - unsure if you're doing enough or if anyone truly understands what you're going through.

We are here to give you the knowledge, confidence, and support you need—so you are empowered with everything you need as you face this journey.

Resources for Family Caregivers of Hospice Patients

Hope from those who’ve been there…

  • Photo of a man holding his wife's hands. She is on hospice due to cancer. He wants to do a good job caring for her.

    “I’ve never been a caregiver before. You don’t know it until you become one, but being a caregiver is really hard. There are so many hardships! Is what I’m feeling normal? Sometimes I just want to give up, but I have to keep going. Its my first time, and I have so much to learn.”

  • Photo of a woman hospice caregiver in bed and having trouble sleeping because she is worried about her mom and looking at the monitor.

    “I had to navigate a lot of things including my grief, family issues and logistics. I didn’t feel prepared. I wish I’d had more time, more resources, and more help. But I also know I could only do so much, and I got to say goodbye.”

  • A man counting pills for his loved one on hospice representing the stress of taking care of your parent or spouse on hospice.

    “Some people are thrust into this very emotionally draining role of caregiving and often come from various difficult backgrounds. Everyone is presented with different problems depending on their situation. If I can provide others with ideas or solutions based on my experience, I think it could be highly beneficial for other caregivers.”

  • Photo of a woman sitting with her sister on the porch representing the moments of connection even when someone is on hospice and in the dying process.

    “Caregiving is the hardest thing I have ever done, but it is also the greatest thing I have ever done. I don’t regret one minute of it. My sister moved in with me before she passed away. As hard as it was, we had the best year and a half together. Just being there was the greatest gift I could have given her.”

  • Photo of a woman writing a list of questions for the hospice team, something she does to try to help her dad who is on hospice.

    “I am helping Dad have a good death. He had a good life and I want him to have a good death too.”

  • Photo of a wife feeding her husband representing a hospice caregiver's true identity as a spouse that never changes even during the dying process.

    “I don’t think of myself as a caregiver. I am a wife and a mother. And I guess this is what you do for the people you love. I don’t have medical skills. I freak out when I see blood, so I had to learn a lot. I had to be brave.”

  • Photo of a won helping his mom to the dining room table for a meal representing the many tasks a hospice caregiver faces as a loved one is dying.

    “Caregiving is one of the hardest jobs in the whole world, even when it is your own mother dying. Its an isolating experience. And I felt really alone. It is a lonely journey but it is also a gift.”

A team with Expertise and Knowledge of Hospice Care Clinical Practice and Personal Experience with Caregiving

The LIGHT team consists of individuals from across the United States with knowledge and expertise in the clinical practice of hospice and palliative medicine. Hospice administrators, Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers and Chaplains provide advice to the LIGHT leadership on issues related to hospice clinical practice and policies. Current and former hospice caregivers provide volunteer service, peer support, and advice and guidance to LIGHT leadership based on very personal experiences as hospice caregivers. This national expertise and first-hand experience provide the LIGHT Institute with solid scientific insight, professional credibility and personal understanding required to meet the needs of hospice caregivers.