Bird House–Hospice Home of Johnson County celebrated 10 years since its founding in April 2016. The Iowa City home at 8 Lime Kiln Ln NE was established by Lois Bird following the passing of her husband, Gary Bird, in 2010, with help from Iowa City community members. Lois Bird later passed away in March 2017.  

According to the Hospice Foundation of America, hospice care focuses on reducing pain and suffering for terminally ill people, typically with six months or less to live. Prices can range from $150-$1500, but are usually paid through private health care insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. 

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Former Director of Development for the University of Iowa’s athletics department and Tippie College of Business, Jana Michael, has been working for Bird House since 2023 and serves as the executive director. 

Michael said her older sister, Sue Michael, passed away from cancer at the Bird House back in 2019, which gave her family the assistance they needed that at-home care lacked. 

“She was going to pass at my house, that was our plan. But as it got towards the end, it became really hard, physically and emotionally. You don’t have the equipment that you need, and so being able to have Sue at the Bird House was just such a blessing,” she said. 

Her sister’s passing inspired Jana Micheal to return to the Bird House to continue helping others in need. She now supports them by raising money for the five-bedroom home for various activities and financial demands.

Michael said the Bird House is also part of the Omega Hospice Network, a nonprofit community of national hospices that help each other create patient care plans. Bird House contracts with other entities that provide them with staffing as well.

Although patients pay $500 a night at the Bird House, they’ve partnered with Holiday Lights at the Lake, which raises approximately $100,000 a year for their Dignity Fund to help patients who don’t have as many resources. 

She described Lois Bird as the driving force of the Bird House that made the hospice what it is today.

“Her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and when it came time for end-of-life care, there was nothing in the area. It’s really a struggle when people or families find themselves in the middle of having to deal with this,” she said, “All of a sudden they are thrown into what are we going to do? I also think people think we only serve kind of the elderly, but that’s not the case.”

Bird House has no age requirements for its admissions process. Michael said the Bird House is filled with laughter and joy, shared meals, volunteers who come with home-cooked meals, and that its home-like environment provides a unique experience for patients, or guests as they refer to them. 

“You don’t hear the intercom, you don’t hear beeping, it’s just a very homey setting, and you can smell things cooking, and you can hear nature. The environment is beautiful and peaceful. We have people who come in and sing, provide music therapy, or offer religious services and offerings. We can tailor to the guests whatever they might need or want,” she said. 

Despite moments of joy, Michael said staff are also given generous support from the Iowa City hospice through clergy and social workers who help Bird House workers process grief. 

“In a lot of ways, it’s an individual journey, even though some people just decide they can’t do it. In a lot of ways, it’s really an honor and a gift. It depends on your beliefs, but I  believe we’re sending people off on another journey of life,” she said. 

Michael believes the biggest challenge the Bird House faces is its census. Sometimes the hospice home has a full waiting list, and other times only a few people register. This makes budgeting difficult. 

“The bills, capital projects, or expenditures, are the same as those of any home. We needed a septic tank a few years ago, and that was a pretty hefty cost. We’re going to be needing a new roof down the road. Those are all going to be expenditures that we’re going to have to probably fundraise for, and that’s a challenge,” she said. 

Michael hopes that talking about the end-of-life experience becomes more common so families and individuals know how to plan to avoid the financial and emotional turmoil when the time comes. 

Sherri Furman, who recently joined the Bird House as a board member, said the organization continues to look for long-term fundraising and marketing initiatives to ensure the hospice’s sustainability. 

“We want to continue to let our community and surrounding communities outside of Johnson County know that the Bird House exists,” she said. “Many families may be caring for their loved ones at home, which can be a struggle. It’s good to know that this wonderful resource is available to you if you happen to be in this situation.”

Kelsey Gerlits, a former Mercy Hospital hospice nurse for 10 years, has served as a board member for Bird House since March 2022. Gerlits said Bird House is unique because the home does not have limits on the length of stay. 

“There’s just very minimal qualifying criteria to come stay there, so we’re not bound to those things that other hospice homes are because it is private pay,” she said. “It can be open to people at various stages in their end-of-life experience, and incorporate all the care and love that one would experience at home when home maybe isn’t your preference or when that’s not possible for you.” 

Gerlits said the Bird House has touched many lives in the community since opening in 2016, and they’ve served approximately 550 guests.

Steven Anderson, president of the Bird House board, said the Bird House has been a great addition to the community and described the service as “fantastic” for people who need it. 

“It’s a place where people can actually stay and have someone take care of them when they may not have family locally. So it gives the benefits of a hospice with a residential component,” Anderson said. 

He is thrilled the Bird House is reaching 10 years of service and believes a lot of work has been put into maintaining the small organization for so long.

“It’s a really great organization, we’ve got great leadership and great folks on the board, and it’s been really nice to provide an important service to the community. So I’m really proud to be involved with it,” he said.