Abbie Hunt Bryce Home provides free hospice care to Indy residents

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tucked away between East 46th Street and North Keystone Avenue, sits the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home. The home cares for the terminally ill at no cost to those in need.

The Abbie Hunt Bryce Home is run by nonprofit Morning Light, Inc. and is the second largest like it in the country, following one home located in New York City.

It’s been around for twenty years and overall, has cared for 900 people in need. It receives no government funding and partners with local hospitals and hospices to care for 12 people at a time.

Each resident receives a private room with Jack-and-Jill bathrooms, direct access to a large garden, access to kitchens, living rooms, and family spaces. Staff at the house provides full time care to each of the residents and leadership aims to ensure staff is well taken care of, too.

“So they come and they stay here for absolutely zero dollars,” Morning Light’s Executive Director Madison Wood-Gonzalez said. “We are free, completely community supported, we don’t require insurance, or any sort of payment.”

87-year-old Lola Tinsley is experiencing that care and says she is endlessly grateful.

“It’s like living in town in an apartment, like having your own private little place,” Tinsley said.

Tinsley was born and raised in the Indianapolis area and is a mom of seven. She was once a homeowner and General Motors employee, before financial devastation struck.

Tinsley, who is terminally ill, says she lost much of her savings in a banking scam. The scam left her with few housing options she could afford.

That’s when the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home stepped in.

Thanks to the home, Tinsley is receiving end of life care for free in front of a serene backdrop.

“Something that sets us apart is everyone’s room opens up to the back garden, which is a beautiful space, and something that you don’t really get at a hospital, or a nursing home,” Wood-Gonzalez said.

As an avid animal lover, Tinsley is especially grateful.

“But you can see out the back how beautiful it is,” Tinsley said. “I can watch the wildlife and the squirrels. See them play and birds flying.”

As the home’s wait list grows, so does their need for support.

There are several ways for people to get involved, including becoming a Memory Maker Sponsor, which helps grant a hospice resident’s last wish. There are also several volunteer and donation opportunities.

For a full list of ways to help, click here.