Overview
Hospice helps patients and their families prepare physically, emotionally and spiritually for the end of life. Anyone with a life-limiting illness may qualify for hospice, including those with cancer, heart disease or lung disease, kidney failure or liver failure, HIV/AIDS, dementia or ALS.
Our focus is on providing comfort, not cure; on family, not just the patient; and on quality of life, not duration.
Cleveland Clinic’s hospice team includes physicians certified in hospice and palliative medicine, nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health aides and volunteers who can help with errands and provide companionship and respite for caregivers. They work together to support patients at home or in a skilled nursing facility or hospital.
Is hospice right for myself or someone I care for?
Hospice is designed for patients who:
- Have a terminal illness and life expectancy of six months or less.
- No longer benefit from curative treatments.
- Require treatment focused on comfort and symptom management.
Give to the Cleveland Clinic Hospice Memorial and Tribute Fund
Learn about our annual fundraising event and how you can make a difference by considering a donation to the Cleveland Clinic Hospice Memorial and Tribute Fund
Services
Routine home care
Most patients receive hospice care at home, where they have the added comfort of a familiar environment. The hospice team makes routine visits but is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All necessary equipment and medications are delivered to the home.
Respite care
When caregivers need a short break, patients can be transferred to an inpatient facility for a short-term stay.
General inpatient care
For patients who require advanced care for symptoms that can’t be managed at home, there is 24-hour hospice care. Our team can continue to care for the patient at one of our Cleveland Clinic hospitals or a skilled nursing or community hospice facility in our network. Cleveland Clinic hospice patients can also receive inpatient hospice services at the Cleveland Clinic Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center.
Continuous home care
Also called “crisis care,” this constant nursing care is available at home to help get a severe condition under control.
Additional complementary services
Cleveland Clinic Hospice focuses on caring for the mind, body and spirit. You and your family may qualify for these enhanced services including:
- We Honor Veteran’s: We offer veteran to veteran volunteer visits, military pinning ceremonies and Honor Flight trips to Washington D.C.
- Caring Canines: Visit therapy dogs and their trainers provide support to patients and families.
- Music Therapy: Uses music to assist in emotional, physical and psychological care.
- Massage Therapy: Can help to reduce pain, anxiety and other symptoms often experienced with chronic illness.
- Meaningful Meals: Comfort through cuisine by bringing loved ones together in the sharing of a donated meal from local restaurants and bakeries served in the comfort of your own home.
- Virtual Reality Experiences: A simulated experience that can transport you and your family to that special place to elicit life long memories and check off bucket list items.
- Camp Promise: A three day summer grief camp offered free of charge to kids ages 6-12 at our Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center.
- Nurse Pinning: Honoring the dedicated service that nurses have provided by gathering fellow nurses in a special ceremony.
Why Choose Us
- Coordinated and Compassionate Care: We’ll work with each patient’s physicians and specialists to continue their care and keep them updated on the patient’s progress. If a patient needs additional medical services, we can arrange them with other Cleveland Clinic providers.
- Dedicated Physicians: While other hospice programs may have “contracted” physicians, we have board-certified palliative or hospice Cleveland Clinic physicians who are solely dedicated to our program. The strength of our physician support and leadership sets us apart.
- Accredited and Trusted: Our hospice is Joint Commission accredited and a member of:
- National Association for Home Care & Hospice
- Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice
Insurance
Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurers cover our hospice services, including medication, medical equipment and supplies, oxygen therapy and respite care.
Requesting Hospice
Cleveland Clinic Hospice serves patients in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties.
Patients, family members or physicians may request hospice services. To request hospice service, please call 216.444.9819.
Our hospice teams are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services generally start within 24 hours of the initial call.
Volunteer
Cleveland Clinic Hospice believes no one facing a life-limiting illness needs to walk alone: volunteers are needed to provide comfort and support to patients and their loved ones.
Volunteer opportunities include:
- Companionship and socialization for patients.
- Vigil volunteers to provide support to loved ones as patients face the end of their journey.
- Bereavement volunteers to provide caregivers support after the patient has passed.
We serve patients in their homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living complexes.
Hospice Volunteer Application
Apply NowLearn more about volunteering
To learn more or volunteer, please call our volunteer coordinator at 216.444.9819.
