Center for Hospice Care redefines hope as a choice for quality of life

For many families, the transition to hospice care can feel like surrender, but Center for Hospice Care (CHC) in Mishawaka wants to shift that narrative. Hospice services are designed to pivot the definition of hope away from aggressive medical intervention and toward comfort, dignity and personalized goals. This mission begins by fundamentally changing how a patient’s journey is viewed.

“We want families to know that they are not alone,” said Sonja Jacobs, the psychosocial services manager at CHC. “As opposed to that whole idea of giving up instead of feeling like they’re giving up, we want them to instead know that they are choosing to enhance the quality of the remainder of their life.”

To improve quality of life, CHC uses an interdisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, chaplains and volunteers to shift focus from curing a disease to meeting personal goals. While medical staff manage physical symptoms, social workers and counselors provide emotional support and facilitate family meetings. This collaboration is vital to ensure end-of-life care extends beyond medical needs.

“Each element of the team is incorporated to address a part of the patient’s care, whether it’s the emotional aspect, the spiritual aspect or the medical and physical aspect,” Jacobs said. “We have that team approach to ensure that it is not just one element of their care. We intend for all of it to be prioritized.”

Spiritual care and volunteer services provide the final layers of the interdisciplinary team. Chaplains offer support tailored to a family’s values and faith, while volunteers and end–of-life doulas provide companionship. The interdisciplinary team remains active throughout the duration of care, whether a patient is at home or in an inpatient unit. Ultimately, CHC’s goal is to meet the patient exactly where they are.

“Creating a safe space for patients to share what their priorities are is a significant part of our role,” Jacobs said. “The patient’s needs are at the center of our care, and they may need support in being able to articulate that. It is about understanding where our patients are, what their needs are and meeting them there.”

Transitioning to hospice often causes anxiety for families who feel they are giving up. CHC eases this burden by addressing caregiver burnout through a five-day respite benefit. Unlike many Indiana providers, CHC operates its own inpatient units, such as the Ernestine M. Raclin House. These facilities offer a home-like atmosphere rather than a hospital setting, allowing the team to support a family’s emotional well-being while providing 24-hour medical care.

“Families are often surprised by how we focus on understanding their needs first and developing a plan together with them to enhance the quality of their lives and add a layer of support for the entire family,” Jacobs said. “We offer them empathy, validation and options to address the emotional distress they may feel. We are here to help them figure out what works best.”

Many wrongly believe hospice is only for a patient’s final days or hours. In reality, CHC often supports patients for six months or more. Enrolling early allows the interdisciplinary team to build trust and manage complex symptoms before a crisis occurs. This provides vital emotional and medical stability, as well as long-term peace of mind.

“It is important we inform as many people as possible of the support available to them,” Jacobs said. “Our focus is to create a plan that prioritizes your needs and to add an invaluable sense of peace for people to know they have a team.”

While timing is a common concern, the emotional weight of serious advanced illness is also often compounded by the fear of medical debt. Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance often covers 100% of services, including equipment and medication related to the terminal diagnosis. For those not covered by one of those plans, the organization also maintains a long-standing promise to never turn a patient away due to an inability to pay. Removing these financial barriers allows families to focus entirely on their loved ones.

“A lot of anxiety comes with entering any type of health care service,” Jacobs said. “It impacts the ability to build rapport, to build trust and to really relax enough to be vulnerable and open to the support that is available to them. It is important for us to reassure them that there is no bill, with 100% coverage by Medicare, no out-of-pocket expenses and that everything is covered with no strings attached.”

By shifting the focus from end-of-life to a framework of long-term stability, hospice care allows families to reclaim their time and peace of mind. CHC encourages residents and families to look past the misconceptions of giving up and instead see the benefit of expert support while navigating a terminal diagnosis. Whether the need is medical management, spiritual guidance or emotional validation, starting the conversation ensures no one walks the journey alone.

“Patients and families will have a team of supporters walking alongside them who have varied skillsets and expertise that are available for them to address all of their needs,” Jacobs said. “They are not alone; they are a part of our family and our center.”

For more information on how to navigate the hospice journey or to explore the full range of interdisciplinary services, for Center for Hospice Care at cfhcare.org.