In the summer of 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, Susie Collins became ill and needed to be transferred to Lincoln for care. When it became clear that she was not going to recover, her family wanted to bring her home to Gothenburg, but there was no place who could take her. They moved her into a hospice house in Lincoln, and she lived her last days on earth there, with her family and friends surrounding her.
Susie’s care at the hospice house was compassionate, filled with dignity, and tailored to her particular needs. The staff also welcomed her family and provided for their needs so that they could devote their time and energy to her.
With no other hospice houses between Lincoln and Denver, Susie’s husband, Dave, dreamed of having one locally so that other families wouldn’t have to travel so far from home. He gathered some friends for supper to discuss the idea, and from that first meeting came Prairie Care and the Susie Collins House.
Our Vision
Prairie Care is working to create - in our community and surrounding areas - an understanding and appreciation for the potential of home-style hospice care outside of the home, that can fulfill the life goals of each individual.
Our Mission
Prairie Care will strive to provide a place of dignity and quality of life for patients and families who face life-limiting conditions.
Our Committment
We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable, and compassionate place for hospice patients who cannot safely continue their care at home. Located in the rural central Platte Valley of Nebraska, Prairie Care provides the privacy and dignity of hospice care with the comforts of a home.
Our Values
Affirming Life
We believe that life is worthy of celebration at any age or any stage. We believe that patients should live life to its fullest, even at the end. We will not hasten, nor will we postpone, death for those who are terminally ill. We will strive to provide physical comfort and care as well as emotional support and encouragement.
Respect: All those we serve deserve respect and dignity. We respect and honor each patient’s right to make decisions concerning care and treatment.
Compassion: Understanding that end-of-life matters can be emotional and confusing, we will respond promptly to patients and families who need assistance, guidance, and relief from suffering. We will encourage and facilitate caring support, open communication, understanding, empathy, and listening.
Trust: Trust is most often earned, not freely given. We will strive to earn the trust of families and patients through open, honest communication and consistent delivery of quality comfort and care.
Resourcefulness: We pledge to provide care regardless of a patient’s financial circumstances. We will accomplish that through the collective creativity, knowledge, and skills of team members. We are committed to being responsible stewards of our resources to assure future stability and growth.
Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you for taking time to consider hospice care and what it means for your loved ones who are facing the end of their lives. Hospice care is a special type of care that focuses on providing support to patients who will no longer benefit from curative treatment. The focus shifts from a cure to comfort care, and it emphasizes the patient's emotional and spiritual needs. The transition to hospice can be challenging, not just for patients, but for their family members, as well.
Prairie Care was founded on the belief that we could help. We understand that this can be a difficult time, and we believe that everyone deserves to live out their final days with dignity and in the company of their loved ones. The Susie Collins House will be designed to provide a comfortable, home-like setting in which those things can happen. We will create an environment in which our patients feel safe, cared for, and loved; and families and friends have the space and privacy to love on them during the precious time they have left.
Our team will be dedicated to providing compassionate care that focuses on the unique needs of each patient, and we will work closely with them, their family members, and their physician to ensure that their wishes are respected.
Prairie Care is here to support you. Thank you for considering us as a partner in your and your loved one’s care.
How You Can Help
Many people are touched by an experience with hospice. Whether a spouse, a parent, a family member or friend, we have all become familiar with the term "my loved one is on hospice."
Prairie Care is being built to provide care needed for people in this situation. To do that, we need your help.
Costs to build the facility are estimated at $4,000,000.00.
Giving to the Prairie Care Foundation is an act of kindness. Please see the attached form for more information and consider how you might support this project.
Your tax-deductible gift in any amount will help meet the needs to build Prairie Care - the Susie Collins House.