Transition of Care Services

Compassionate End-of-Life Care

At Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, we believe every person deserves to be treated with dignity, comfort, and compassion throughout every stage of life. End-of-life care is about much more than managing medical needs—it is about honoring each individual’s journey while providing comfort, peace, and support for both patients and the people who love them.

Our compassionate team of physicians, nurses, case managers, social workers, chaplains, and other caregivers work together to ensure that patients receive individualized care focused on comfort, symptom management, emotional support, and spiritual well-being. Just as importantly, we are here to support families by providing guidance, resources, and a caring presence during one of life’s most difficult moments.

Recognizing the importance of compassionate care at the end of life, Dr. Natalie LaCorte, Associate Medical Director at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, established a special End-of-Life Care Program made possible through generous funding from the Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation. Working alongside our dedicated Case Management Department, led by Kimberly Flaten, this program provides meaningful gestures of comfort that help honor both patients and their families.

As part of the program, patients receive a soft, comforting blanket to help provide warmth and peace during their final moments. Families are also offered a deeply personal keepsake—a “Heartbeat in a Bottle.” This cherished memento contains a printed image of their loved one’s heartbeat, captured from their electrocardiogram (EKG) and carefully placed inside a small glass bottle.

For many families, the Heartbeat in a Bottle becomes a treasured reminder of the life, love, and connection they shared with their loved one. While no keepsake can lessen the pain of loss, it offers a lasting symbol of a life that touched so many and provides comfort long after goodbye.

Our End-of-Life Care Program reflects Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital’s commitment to caring for the whole person and supporting families with compassion, kindness, and dignity. It is often the smallest acts of caring that leave the greatest impact. We are humbled by the heartfelt letters and expressions of gratitude we have received from families who have found comfort in this program, and we remain committed to ensuring every patient and every family experiences the respect, empathy, and support they deserve.

Help Us Continue Providing Comfort and Compassion

The End-of-Life Care Program is made possible through the generosity of donors who believe that every patient deserves to be surrounded by dignity, comfort, and compassion during life’s final journey.

Your gift to the Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation helps provide comforting blankets, treasured Heartbeat in a Bottle keepsakes, and other meaningful touches that bring peace to patients and lasting comfort to their families during an incredibly difficult time.

If you would like to help us continue this meaningful work, we invite you to make a gift to the Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation. Every donation, regardless of size, makes a lasting difference in the lives of the patients and families we are privileged to serve.

To make a donation or learn more about supporting the End-of-Life Care Program, please contact the Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation or click the donation link. MAKE A DONATION

Thank you for helping us provide comfort, dignity, and compassion when it matters most.