Mission

To enhance the quality of life for terminally ill individuals and their loved ones by providing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual support before, during, and following the patient’s death.  We strive to educate the community about hospice services and the grieving process.

Vision

We aim to serve individuals, their loved ones, and the community in order to ensure dignity, compassion, and peace at all end of life services.

Benefits of Hospice

  • Physical, emotional, spiritual, and social support to patients and caregivers
  • Concentration on pain control to obtain a comfort level which the patient helps choose
  • Focus on additional symptom management for additional comfort and quality of life
  • Care provided in the patient’s residence, whether their or another home, nursing home, assisted living, or residential care facility
  • The belief that quality of life is as important as the quantity of life
  • Massage therapy and Healing Touch (including essential oils and music)
  • Short-term hospital inpatient or respite care available when needed

Your Hospice Team

Hospice care delivery is a collaborative team effort engaging physicians, social workers, nurses, nursing assistants, local volunteers, complimentary services, care facility staff, as well as spiritual support.  We offer services to patients and caregivers in their homes or in facilities.  Our support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Nurse:  Visits the patient in their place of residence as often as necessary.

Patient’s Personal Physician:  Continues to be involved in the patient’s care.

Medical Director:  Advises the Hospice Team about issues related to medical care.

Social Worker:  Offers the patient and family support in coping with the emotional and financial stresses.

Spiritual Coordinator:  Provides an objective, listening presence as one considers questions about the purpose of life, suffering, self-worth, need for forgiveness, and the progressive losses accompanying terminal illness.

Health Care Aide/Homemaker:  Assists with personal cares and/or light housekeeping.

Volunteers:  Offer the patient and family a trusted companion and growing friendship. They are available to run errands, assist with light housekeeping, and give relief to the caregiver.

Bereavement Support:  Continues on after the death of a loved one. We offer grief mailings, supportive phone contacts or home visits, and support groups.

 

Community Health Services/Howard County Community Hospice Group Photo

Photo credits to Zahasky Photography

Through skilled and compassionate care, we strive to provide comfort, peace, and dignity to those facing a life-limiting illness.  We care for the whole person, addressing not just medical, but emotional and spiritual needs in this state of life.  Family members and caregivers receive support, as they face their own unique challenges walking this path with their loved ones.

Complimentary therapies are offered at no cost to our patients.  These complimentary therapies consist of massage therapy, healing touch, music enrichment, and four-legged friends pet program.  Our patients can engage in whatever therapies they wish:

  • Our licensed massage therapist provides gentle touching and massage of skin and muscles.  Massage can provide comfort and relaxation and help reduce or alleviate symptoms of pain, anxiety, stress, nausea, fatigue, depression and sleep problems.
  • Healing touch therapy uses touch or no touch to clear, energize and balance the human and environmental energy fields, thus affecting physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and healing.
  • Aromatherapy
  • Music Therapy: Our music enrichment coordinator shares the gift of music through one-on-one time with patients.  Music has proven to help manage pain, energize those feeling fatigued, reduce feelings of tension, calm those who are anxious, improve a person’s mood, and reduce the effects of depression.
  • Pet Therapy: Our four-legged friends bring comfort to our patients and their loved ones.  Visiting pets have been shown to increase pain tolerance, reduce stress, lower blood pressure and bring smiles to the faces or our patients.  For those who have withdrawn from the people around them, interacting with an animal is often easier and less painful.  Our complimentary therapies are financed strictly through donations.

Complimentary Enrichment Programs

  • Fingerprint Pendants: Fingerprint pendants of loved ones are available for families as a memorial keepsake.
  • We Honor Veterans
  • We Remember

Service Area

At Howard County Community Hospice, we cover not only Howard County, but the surrounding areas as well! This includes Winneshiek and parts of Chickasaw, Fayette, Floyd, and Mitchell. If you live outside of Howard County and are interested in our services, give us a call. We would love to discuss how we can meet your needs.

Call Howard County Community Hospice when:
  • A loved one or friend would benefit from our Hospice Team
  • You are interested in being a Hospice volunteer
  • You would like more information
  • You need a speaker for your group or organization

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SO GENEROUSLY DONATED TO HOSPICE

  • Howard County Community Hospice is a Medicare-certified hospice provider.  Hospice services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurances.  RHSHC does offer financial assistance or payment extension for qualified individuals (contact Fiscal Services at 563-547-6311 for more information).
  • Serving all of Howard County and portions of Chickasaw, Floyd, Mitchell, and Winneshiek counties.
  • Howard County Community Hospice works with all providers from all medical facilities.
  • Memorials and donations are welcome.

Howard County Community Hospice
235 8th Avenue West
Cresco, IA 52136
Phone: 563-547-2989
Fax: 563-547-4223

“Howard County Community Hospice assisted me in having my husband remain at home during the final weeks of his life.  Their informative staff was caring and truthful in guiding us through the ‘end of life’ process.  We were provided medical equipment, medicines to ease him, and literature to inform us, as well as nurse and personal care visits, which were available to attend our needs 24-7.”  – From the wife of a former Hospice patient.

Hospice is a non-profit organization committed to providing care regardless of race, color, age, creed, national origin, disabilities, or disease process.