Providence Hospice & Palliative Care Services

When facing a terminal diagnosis, you are dealing with more than physical ailments. Providence Hospice knows this, and we’ve put together a team of compassionate, skilled professionals who will walk with you and your family through this journey.

Providence hospice worker;s hand holds a hospice patient's hand

the hand of a providence hospice worker comforts the hand of a hospice patient

Hospice Care

Our hospice team is made up of physicians, nurses, social workers, dietary experts, chaplains, volunteers, and other professionals, all with the goal of providing compassionate end-of-life care.

Palliative Care

Providence Hospice provides palliative care, often called “comfort care,” to patients who are facing a serious illness. Palliative care is designed to relieve your discomfort and ease the symptoms of the side effects some of your curative treatment is causing.

Hospice Myths and Facts

The word “hospice” can be intimidating, and it may convey a decision to give up hope. But that is just one of many misconceptions about hospice care.

Providence hospice volunteer spends time with a hospice patient

Providence Hospice Volunteer Opportunities

Providence Hospice is a nonprofit ministry of Providence Life Services. Like many non-for-profits, our efforts are made even more robust by the vast community of people who give of their time and talents to volunteer with our program.

You can read about some of our hospice volunteers, like Venisha, a massage therapist; Renee, a stay-at-home mom; Heather, a licensed counselor; and Jackie, a retired healthcare worker. These are just some of the many valued volunteers who make our program special. We’d love you to join our team and write your own hospice volunteer story.

Meet Our Leadership

Susan Enright brings decades of healthcare experience and skills to Providence Hospice, and she's proud of the compassion and skill that her team can bring to the families we serve.

Meet Our Chaplain

Reverend Ruth Harrison offers compassion and spiritual guidance to hospice and palliative care patients and their families.

Meet Our Volunteer Coordinator

Annette McClain leads our dedicated volunteer team, using her passion for helping people to enhance the lives of the people our program serves.

Nurse Practitioner

Dr. Michelle M. Buikema

We are proud to have Dr. Michelle M. Buikema, DNP, APRN, NP-C, serving as our Nurse Practitioner for Providence Hospice and Palliative Care. Michelle has worked at Providence Life Services in a variety of roles since 2006, but has worked specifically with our Providence Hospice team since 2013.

Michelle earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nursing from the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, IN and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Wilkes University. She has served as Past President of the Chicagoland Chapter of Hospice and Palliative Nursing Association (HPNA) and is a board member of Chicagoland Chapter of HPNA, a member of Sigma Theta Tau-Alpha Omicron Chapter, and is a member of the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association.

When she is not working or spending time with her husband and two sons, she enjoys cooking and baking, gardening, and following Notre Dame football.

For Compassionate Care for Those You Love, Contact Providence Hospice.

Simply fill out the form and we will contact you.