Center for Hospice Care’s inpatient units provide compassionate, end-of-life sanctuary in Michiana

Center for Hospice Care (CHC) serves as a regional leader in end-of-life support. The not-for-profit operates two Medicare-certified, freestanding inpatient campuses: the Ernestine M. Raclin House in Mishawaka and Esther’s House in Elkhart. These facilities provide round-the-clock intensive symptom management for patients of all ages.

The center is rooted in providing dignity, comfort and peace for every patient and family in a sanctuary of connection and care.

“Our team is trained to recognize the needs that are with our patients and their families, and we get our interdisciplinary team involved right away,” said Stacy Boler, director of inpatient services. Our staff is dedicated to meeting every possible need of our patients and their families, including utilizing our volunteers to ensure that no one is alone during this important time. This is especially meaningful for patients who have no family members or companions at their bedside. We strive to provide the same compassionate, individualized care to every person we serve, ensuring that each patient is treated with dignity, comfort, and respect. Whenever possible, we help create the opportunity for patients and their loved ones to share those final, beautiful moments together.”

For-profit hospice centers are common across the country, but the landscape of end-of-life care is not uniform. All hospices must adhere to the same federal licensing standards, yet operational priorities and resource allocation can vary significantly. CHC follows a non-profit mission where the approach to end-of-life care exceeds the baseline volunteer requirements mandated by Medicare. All of the center’s operations rely on an interdisciplinary team—including nurses, social workers, doulas, chaplains and volunteers—to ensure no patient faces the final journey alone.

“The misconception is that the patient and family are giving up when they chose hospice,” said Chrissy Madlem, director of nursing. “They’re not giving up; they’re choosing to live every single day at the highest level with our team. It’s proven that patients who have hospice live longer than patients who don’t. If you have an end-of-life disease process, you’re going to die with or without hospice. So having us on board is always going to make things more comfortable for you, so you can live every day at your best.”

The Medicare hospice benefit includes three levels of care for end-of-life support. Routine care provides standard support in a home-like environment. Respite care offers temporary relief to prevent caregiver burnout. General inpatient care delivers intensive symptom management when symptoms become too complex for home care. CHC integrates respite and general inpatient care into the inpatient experience to ensure continuity of care. Early intervention allows families to access this support before a crisis occurs and ensures patients receive the right intensity of care exactly when needed.

“The goal is always to bring the patient back home, wherever they call home,” Madlem said. “However, sometimes when patients’ symptoms are increasing and they’re at the end of life, we find that once patients get comfortable, it is not the medications we’re giving. Rather, we’re getting them to a state of being peaceful, to where they can let go and sometimes pass here.”

CHC simplifies the transition from crisis to comfort. The team provides rapid response during the admission process to stabilize patients and ensure medication management starts within hours. Flexible options like pre-arranged respite stays or emergency support provide a reliable safety net. This collaborative partnership eases the burden of medical management. Families can then step away from caregiving duties to return to their roles as spouses, children or friends.

“It is important to us that our facility feels like a sacred place,” Boler said. “With the sense of peace that fills the inpatient unit, it’s hard to believe how many patients and how much care is happening within its walls. Our goal is to make every patient and family feel comfortable, supported, and at home while receiving care with us.”

The facility serves as a sanctuary designed to replace institutional coldness with a warm, home-like environment. At Raclin House, private suites feature mobile beds that roll onto enclosed patios for fresh air. Rooms incorporate soothing music and vibrant artwork to foster peace. Intentional design supports families with communal kitchens, fireplaces, a reflection room, and dedicated areas for younger visitors. Outside, the Raclin House features Captain Robert J. Hiler Jr. Veterans Memorial, providing a quiet space for reflection and honoring those who served.

CHC permits 24-hour visitation and welcomes pets, including the center’s therapy dog Teddy, so the whole family can remain together as a unit. Every detail serves a purpose, from hallway acoustics to open-concept lounges. The architecture itself supports the care plan and allows families to focus on connection rather than navigating a crisis.

“You can’t re-bake a cake,” Madlem said. “We have one chance to get it right at the end of life. If we make a mistake, even if it seems minor, that’s what the family will carry. We prioritize getting it right the first time because these intimate, end-of-life experiences become a family’s forever memory.”

CHC operates on the “one chance” rule to honor the singular, sacred nature of every patient’s final journey. The team dedicates its efforts to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of each individual with a servant heart. The center encourages compassionate individuals to consider the call to serve, either as staff or volunteers. Serving in not-for-profit hospice remains a profound and humbling gift that prioritizes quality of life over solely the end of life.

For more information about hospice services and volunteer opportunities, visit cfhcare.org. CHC welcomes families to call the admissions department at (574) 243-3100 for an immediate evaluation or to contact them for inquiries regarding eligibility and consultations.