Retired Yuma nurse to open hospice care house for low income locals

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A retired nurse in Yuma is opening a house for locals who cannot afford hospice care at the end of life.

This non-profit is the first comfort care home in Yuma County offering services regardless of ability to pay.

Retired hospice nurse Bonnie Irr recognized the need for a comfort care home in Yuma, so she created The Hansen House for locals who are unable to afford hired caregivers. 

“I was a palliative care nurse at the hospital and I found a great need when we had trouble discharging patients who were actively dying and their families couldn’t take care of them. So, when I retired last year, this was my mission was to start this home,” said Executive Director of The Hansen House, Bonnie Irr.

Irr said providing 24-hour care to a loved one at the end of life can be debilitating and exhausting for a family, who may be unable to afford hired caregivers. 

“So we will have a daily sliding scale fee and we are looking to help people who can’t afford to go to an assisted living home,” said Irr.

The Hansen House will collaborate with all local hospices, who provide the medical management, while they will provide 24-hour comfort care and support to the dying individual and their family.

Irr said this idea was inspired by her late grandmother.

“Our home got the name, The Hansen House from my grandmother and she passed away two years ago at 101,” said Irr.

The non-profit will be hosting an open house for the public on November 4 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“The home is ready, we just need the funding to open the doors and get our staff hired, so we can start serving the dying in our community,” said Irr.

Click the link here to make a donation or see how you can get involved: https://thehansenhouse.org/.