May 29, 2025 By John Fraser

A decade ago, Dan Seavey was advocating for Seward’s need for professional hospice services. This past week, the community bid farewell to Seavey himself, along with Dorothy Urbach, Craig Turnbull, and Carol Pickett Hull — a reminder of how far Seward has come in building end-of-life care support.

Tonya Foote, a registered nurse with decades of experience in oncology and hospice care, arrived in Seward in 2015, following her husband’s job with two of their four children in tow. In Michigan, where she first found her calling in service to those at the end of life, hospice was a fully integrated, Medicare-funded service — a far cry from what Seavey and others were trying to get off the ground through meetings at the Seward library. Foote’s arrival could not have come at a better time. Within months of her arrival, Foote was suddenly at the helm of a new non-profit as the first Program Director of Seward Area Hospice. She has been guiding families through end-of-life care ever since.

“Hospice isn’t about giving up — it’s about ensuring people can live their final days with dignity, surrounded by love, with a team who knows how to help.”

— Tonya Foote

Seward Area Hospice is a nonprofit organization offering support to individuals at the end of life and to their families. Services are provided free of charge and are supported through community donations, grant funding, and the work of trained volunteers.

“Our volunteers are people from the community,” Foote explains. “They go through our training and give their time freely. Some are drawn to the work because they’ve lost someone. Others just feel called to help.”

These volunteers provide non-medical assistance, such as companionship, reading, light tasks, or simply being present. For caregivers, it can offer much-needed relief.

“Even two hours a week can make a difference,” Foote says.

Foote’s role includes guiding families through the final stages of life. She meets with clients and their loved ones to help them understand what to expect — from the physical signs of decline to symptom management, comfort care, helping them share the things that need to be said, and connecting them with a volunteer whose skills match the family’s needs.

“I teach families how to administer medications, how to safely move and reposition their loved one, and how to recognize changes that occur as part of the natural dying process. Pain management is always a top priority. If something isn’t working, I can help families collaborate with their primary care provider to adjust medications as needed.”

— Tonya Foote

Beyond the biological aspects, Foote also focuses on emotional and mental health support for both clients and caregivers, recognizing that the burden of anticipatory grief and loss is a deeply complex and personal part of end-of-life care.

One key part of that preparation includes discussing advance directives. Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment forms are placed on the refrigerator, where EMS personnel are trained to look during emergencies. Copies are also shared with local EMS and Bear Creek Fire Department to ensure that the patient’s wishes are known and honored. 

When death occurs, Foote guides families through the immediate steps. If a provider cannot be present, she even offers post-mortem care.

“I help wash and dress the body in the clothes they’ve chosen,” she says.

Foote invites the immediate caregivers to participate because saying goodbye with care and dignity helps the grieving process.

She also helps families connect with regional funeral homes, located in Anchorage or other parts of the Kenai Peninsula. Despite the distance, Foote says funeral homes are always responsive — often arriving within a few hours, even during severe winter weather or the middle of the night. She encourages families to make arrangements in advance so that, when the time comes, they can focus on being present rather than managing logistics.

Foote emphasizes that grief support is open to the entire community — not just immediate family.

“Friends and neighbors feel these losses, too,” she adds. “We’re here for them as well.”

The hospice services Foote manages extend far beyond physical care, offering ongoing grief support for families up to 13 months after a loss.

“When you’ve lost someone, sometimes you just need a safe space to say their name and talk about what happened,” Foote explains. “I meet people where they are — whether that’s in quiet conversation, tears, or silence — and give them permission to grieve in their own way.”

Foote believes that at the heart of hospice is not just the absence of medical interventions but the presence of compassion.

“Hospice isn’t about giving up,” she says. “It’s about giving people the chance to live their final days with dignity, surrounded by love, and supported by a team who knows what they’re doing.”

Thanks to Foote’s leadership and the dedication of volunteers, Seward Area Hospice has become a vital part of our civic infrastructure for families facing the most vulnerable moments of their lives — ensuring that no one has to navigate the journey alone.

For more information about Seward Area Hospice, visit www.sewardareahospice.org, email info@sewardareahospice.org or give Tonya a call at (907) 224-3051.

John Fraser is a psychologist, Director of Mission Impact at the Alaska SeaLife Center, and a ceramics teacher at Keramiikka Ceramic Studio and Gallery, and fosters cats for the Seward Animal Shelter.