Support for Hospice Caregivers from People Who Understand
You Shouldn’t Have to Figure Hospice Caregiving Out Alone
If you're caring for a loved one on hospice, you know how overwhelming it can feel. The questions, the unknowns, the fear of doing something wrong—all of it adds up. Maybe you’ve picked up the phone to call your hospice team again, worried you’re bothering them. Or maybe you’re sitting in the quiet of the night, wondering what’s normal and what’s not. We created this website because no caregiver should feel alone in moments like these.
About the LIGHT Project
LIGHT is a partnership between the Hospice Foundation for Outreach and Washington University in St. Louis, Division of Palliative Medicine. This partnership brings together the passion and support of a longstanding foundation committed to hospice care and a team of researchers with a national reputation and portfolio of evidence-based research interventions, ready to use with hospice caregivers to improve their lives.
The LIGHT project exists to give hospice caregivers the knowledge, ability, and power to act—delivered through videos, written content, and a supportive community. We help prepare caregivers with:
Knowing: Knowledge to understand
Doing: Things you can do to bring comfort
Being: Ways you can cope with what you must do
We believe that when caregivers are equipped with clear, compassionate information, they can feel more confident and less overwhelmed.
Led by Experts. Grounded in Experience.
Our team includes hospice researchers, clinicians, and advocates who have spent decades listening to caregivers, studying what they need, and helping hospice teams across the country improve their care. We’ve worked alongside nurses, social workers, chaplains, and aides—and we’ve sat beside our own parents, grandparents, spouses, and friends as they passed away.
We know this road not just professionally, but personally, and we’re committed to walking alongside you by offering trustworthy, easy-to-understand resources you can use anytime— day or night.
Hospice Foundation for Outreach
Founded in 1997 as a nonprofit foundation to champion the benefits of hospice care, HFO has matured into a nationally focused organization with a vision to bring dignity and compassion to the end-of-life experience across the country. The mission is to lead and support communities to make a positive impact on the seriously and terminally ill by providing education, administering grants, fostering partnerships, and connecting families to appropriate resources.
Washington University, Division of Palliative Medicine
https://palliativemedicine.wustl.edu/
At WashU Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, we recognize that facing serious illness can be overwhelming. The palliative care research team and the Lab for Innovation in Palliative Medicine Research use science to empower patients and caregiving families. We are a nationally recognized team of scientists dedicated to providing and translating evidence-based tools for patients and their family members experiencing serious illness.
Our Advisory Teams : FORMING NOW
Light Institute Family Caregiver National Advisory Council (FCNAC)
The Light FCNAC is currently recruiting former hospice caregivers from across the country to help identify key caregiving priorities and provide strategic input on LIGHT initiatives. The FCNAC will support the LIGHT Institute’s mission to train, empower, and advocate for caregivers of hospice patients by offering insights based on lived experiences.
Light Institute Hospice National Advisory Council (HNAC)
The HNAC is composed of leading experts, industry professionals, and clinicians from diverse fields, convened to provide strategic guidance and informed perspectives on hospice patient and caregiving issues from the perspective of providers. The council’s primary role is to advise and support LIGHT in its mission to ease the burden on hospice caregivers.
Light Institute Hospice Regional Advisory Council (HARC)
The HRAC is composed of regional experts, donors, and strategic partners located within a comfortable travel region of the LIGHT leadership. Their role is to advise on day-to-day issues and provide volunteer assistance for ongoing activities and projects.
Our Vision for Hospice Caregivers
We envision a world where caregivers are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and emotional strength needed to care for hospice patients.
Purpose
Our team seeks to illuminate the hospice journey for patients and families by providing compassionate education, support, and resources that empower a dignified end-of-life experience.
Our Mission to Support Hospice Caregivers
Our mission is to train, empower, and advocate for caregivers of hospice patients (TEACH)
What You’ll Find on This Website
Videos that explain what to expect and how to provide comfort in clear, simple terms.
Downloadable handouts and infographics that give you step-by-step tips and reassurance.
A supportive online community where you can connect with others who truly understand.
Blog posts written with compassion and clarity to guide you through difficult topics.
Why It Matters
Hospice care is built on the idea of comfort, dignity, and honoring a person’s final wishes. However, the healthcare system is complex, and families are often left to fill in the gaps. We want to ensure you have the tools, information, and support to give your loved one peace—and to find peace for yourself.
Whether you’re caring for a parent, spouse, sibling, grandparent, friend, or even a child—we’re here to help. You are not alone.
Need Support Right Now?
Start with our YouTube channel. It’s packed with short, easy-to-understand videos made just for hospice caregivers. You’ll also find helpful handouts to print and a growing online community ready to welcome you.
📧 Contact Us
Email: dom-light@wustl.edu
Contact us
Do you have questions about anything on our site? Email us and one of our team members will reach out with a response.
