Center for Hospice Care

Certainly. If the patient’s condition improves and the disease seems to be in remission, patients can be discharged from Center for Hospice Care and return to therapy. If the discharged patient should later need to return to hospice care, Medicare and most private insurance will allow additional coverage for this purpose.

First, we contact your physician to make sure he or she agrees that hospice care is appropriate. You’ll be asked to sign consent and insurance forms. The “Hospice Election Form” states that you understand the care is palliative (aimed at pain relief and symptom control) rather than curative, and outlines services available.

We assess your needs and make the arrangements to obtain the necessary equipment. In general, we will assist in any way we can to make home care as convenient and safe as possible.

There is no set number. Your individualized care will address the amount of caregiving needed. Hospice personnel visit regularly and are always accessible to answer medical questions and provide support.

A team consisting of a doctor, nurses, social workers, aides, chaplains, therapists and volunteers cares for our patients. We also provide medications, supplies and equipment.

Hospice neither hastens nor postpones the dying process. Just as doctors and midwives lend support and expertise during the time of birth, the hospice team provides specialized knowledge to help you live your last chapter of life as fully as possible.

No. Although over 90 percent of our care is provided in a personal residence, some patients live in assisted living, nursing homes, or should the need arise, in one of our two area Inpatient Units, Esther’s House located on our Elkhart Campus and the Ernestine M. Raclin House located on our Mishawaka Campus.

Hospice is a philosophy of care which believes that emotional and spiritual pain is just as real and in need of attention as physical pain, so we address them all. Our doctors and nurses are up-to-date on the latest therapies for pain and symptom relief. Physical and occupational therapists may assist you to be as mobile and self-sufficient as possible, and they are joined by specialists in massage and diet counseling.

Not usually. We’ve seen how keeping patients pain-free and alert enables the last phase of life to be a time of healing and peace.

Very high. Using some combination of medications, counseling and therapies, most patients can be kept pain-free and comfortable.

Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance cover all services and supplies for the hospice patient, and Center for Hospice Care does not require any Medicare co-payments.

Center for Hospice Care will provide for anyone who can’t pay thanks to the generous contributions from our donors.

No. While some churches and religions have started hospices (sometimes in connection with their hospitals), Center for Hospice Care serves a broad community and does not require patients to adhere to any particular set of beliefs.

Center for Hospice Care provides continuing contact and support for family and friends for at least a year following the death of a loved one. Knowing the struggles of learning to live again without a person in your life, our bereavement support is available to anyone in our community, regardless if their loved ones were in our care or not.

It is never easy and sometimes may be quite hard. At the end of a long, progressive illness, nights especially can be long and lonely. We have staff available around the clock to call for support, including night visits if the need arises.

Yes, we've developed three innovative programs for common diagnoses: HeartWize for advanced heart disease, BreatheEazy for COPD, and DementiaCare for Alzheimer's and dementia patients. These programs include regularly scheduled visits by staff with specialized training in disease-specific evaluation and symptom management, along with emotional, spiritual, and complementary approaches to care.

Absolutely. Our pediatric hospice and palliative care team focuses on improving the quality of life for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with serious advanced illnesses. Depending on the health care plan, children 20 years of age or younger may be eligible for concurrent care, which allows them to receive both hospice and curative treatment simultaneously. We also offer perinatal palliative care for families who learn during pregnancy that their baby has a potentially life-limiting condition.

Yes, volunteers play a vital role in our organization! Opportunities include patient companionship, veteran-to-veteran support, end-of-life doulas, bereavement support callers, pet care assistance, clerical work, fundraising help, and serving as activity volunteers or buddies at Camp Evergreen for grieving children. We also need vigil volunteers to provide on-call support to patients in extended care facilities who are actively dying. All volunteers receive thorough training before beginning service.

We offer several specialized programs for young people, including a Children's Grief Support Group (ages 6-12) and a Teen's Grief Support Group (ages 13-18). We also host Camp Evergreen, an annual camping activity where children and teens who've experienced loss can meet others their age, release emotions through outdoor activities, and learn it's okay to have fun and continue enjoying life. All bereavement services are provided at no charge to anyone in our nine-county service area.

Through our Pet Peace of Mind program, we help patients keep their beloved pets at home. Our specially trained volunteers and financial resources can assist with pet food purchases, veterinary visits, walking, litter box cleaning, and other pet care tasks. We understand the important bond between patients and their pets, and if it's not feasible to keep pets at home, we'll work with pet rescue organizations and foster homes for placement.

Yes, we recognize that the death of an adult child is a unique type of loss. We offer a dedicated support group specifically for parents who have experienced the death of their adult child. We also have groups for other specific types of loss, including Loss After Addiction for those who've lost a loved one to overdose or substance abuse, and Young Widows and Widowers (age 55 and under). All groups are facilitated by licensed counselors or trained volunteers.

Center for Hospice Care offers hospice, pediatric hospice and palliative care, bereavement programs, inpatient care, perinatal palliative care, and specialized disease programs such as HeartWize, BreatheEazy, and DementiaCare.

Center for Hospice Care is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with nurses available 24/7 for support.

You can contact Center for Hospice Care via phone at +1 574-935-4511 or toll-free at +1 800-413-9083, or email at contact@cfhcare.org.

Yes, they provide continuing contact and bereavement support for family and friends for at least a year following a loved one's death, available to anyone in the community regardless of prior care.

Yes, volunteers are vital and can participate as patient companions, veteran-to-veteran supporters, end-of-life doulas, bereavement callers, pet care helpers, clerical workers, fundraisers, activity volunteers at Camp Evergreen, and vigil volunteers. All receive training before starting.

No, while most care is at home, hospice care is also provided in assisted living, nursing homes, and inpatient units like Esther’s House in Elkhart and Ernestine M. Raclin House in Mishawaka.

A holistic approach addresses physical, emotional, and spiritual pain with up-to-date therapies, medications, counseling, and assistance from therapists and specialists like massage and diet counselors.

Nearby dining options include KFC for fast food chicken, Papa Johns Pizza for pizza, Symphony Family Restaurant offering American and Italian cuisines, and A&W Restaurant for casual fast food.

Nearby financial and legal services include PNC Bank for banking needs, Edward Jones financial advisors Dan Schmelter and Russell T Kietzman, Red Door CPA Group for accounting, and Morrison & Morrison for legal services.

Yes, Centennial Park is nearby offering a swimming pool and outdoor activities, providing a peaceful space for visitors to relax before or after their visit.