Our home care team is specially trained to provide a range of home health nursing, social services, therapy, and aide services. Home care is for patients who are not able to leave their home routinely, so we bring our services to you. We work closely with your provider to make sure your physical needs are being met. We develop an individualized plan for you in your home to help you get back to living your best life. We help our patients to be safe in their home and learn to manage their own health.

What to expect from Goshen Home Care

We understand the importance of recovery in the comfort of your own home. That’s why Goshen Home Care provides in-home, skilled medical care and therapy in the comfort of your own home.

Our team of credentialed nurses and specialists brings equipment you need to your home. We also educate you and your family on how to manage medical equipment.

Patient eligibility

We care for adult patients who are confined to the home and need in-home nursing and therapy services.

Homebound patients have difficulty leaving home because they:

• Use supportive devices (wheelchair or walker)
• Require special transportation
• Need the assistance of another person
• Suffer symptoms, such as pain, shortness of breath or confusion, that may worsen when leaving home
• Have a condition where leaving their home may put their health at risk

Coverage of cost

Medicare/Medicaid covers 100 percent of home care expenses. Most insurance companies cover costs for home care.

Our home care services

We want to help you regain independence and feel better after your hospital stay. That’s why our medically trained home care team sets up a care plan based on your specific needs.

Medical services we provide include:

• Wound care
• Ostomy care
• Cardiac education on congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease
• Orthopedic care after joint replacement, back surgery or treatment for arthritis
• Neurology care for stroke, mini-stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia or other nerve disorders
• Telehealth support
• Diabetic care
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) education
• IV therapy
• Pain management
• Medication management
• Personal hygiene care
• Patient and family education

Interdisciplinary home care team

Our home care team works together to coordinate in-home care that’s the right fit for you. Healthcare professionals include:

• Registered nurses
• Home health aides
• Physical and occupational therapists
• Speech and language pathologists
• Medical social workers
• Dietitians

Therapy services

Physical, occupational and speech therapies provide a range of benefits, including helping you:

• Recover from illness, injury or surgery faster
• Regain independence and productivity
• Return to highest possible function
• Improve swallowing and memory
• Understand how to manage health and wellbeing

Service area

Our home care services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We care for patients who live in Goshen and surrounding areas.

• Elkhart County
• LaGrange County
• Kosciusko County
• Noble County

We believe quality of life is as important as the length of life. That’s why we respect your individual concerns, preferences, and values for hospice services. Our care team, comprised of nursing, social services, chaplains, aides, and volunteers will provide services to help you and your family walk this difficult journey. Our hospice recognizes the impact military experiences may have on the lives of veterans and their families. That’s why we participate in veteran-specific education programs through our partnership with the We Honor Veterans program. It prepares our team to help guide veterans towards a peaceful end of life. We provide bereavement services for families for the first year, a year that can be difficult without your loved one present.

What to expect from Goshen Hospice

We understand quality of life is as important as length of life. That’s why Goshen Hospice focuses on comfort, symptom management and wellbeing for those who no longer wish to pursue treatment for an incurable illness. We provide emotional, physical and spiritual care to treat you, instead of the disease, and honor your goals and wishes every step of the way.

Our hospice approach

Our holistic approach to hospice care means we:

• Offer care with respect and preserve dignity
• Embrace the whole person and family care
• Provide comfort for loved ones and support for caregivers
• Give 24-hour access to a nurse through a hospice helpline

Patient eligibility

Patients who have an incurable illness and no longer wish to pursue curative treatment may receive hospice care. Our hospice team will work with your physicians to ensure you are eligible for hospice benefits.

Coverage of cost

Medicare/Medicaid and most insurance companies cover costs for hospice care.

Hospice services we provide

We tailor a care plan to fit your individual needs. Our range of services include:

• Visits by Goshen Hospice interdisciplinary care team
• Medications related to illness
• Medical equipment
• Medical supplies, including incontinence products
• Continuous care for crisis periods
• Inpatient treatment for symptom management
• Respite care for caregivers
• Bereavement services
• Volunteer services

Interdisciplinary hospice team

Our hospice team works together to coordinate in-home care that’s the right fit for you. Healthcare professionals include:

• Attending physician, who the patient has the right to choose, coordinates care as part of the hospice team.
• Registered nurse case manager monitors health conditions, administers medication, provides education on the use of medical equipment, advises patients and families on current condition, and offers support and education to the patient and family on symptom management and what to expect at the end of life.
• Spiritual care connects people to familiar practices from their own faith traditions, facilitates life review and assists in finishing one’s life work, providing a caring ear to the big questions.
• Social worker provides support and counseling with grief and loss; helps with advance directives and decision making; links families to community resources; provides opportunities for exploring options when caregiving becomes complicated; and links families to volunteers when needed.
• Medical director coordinates and directs the hospice team.
• Home health aides provide hands-on care in multiple areas.
• Volunteers provide patients, caregivers and families with compassionate care and support.
• Hospice Pet Therapy

Service area

We care for patients who live in Goshen and surrounding areas.

• Elkhart County
• LaGrange County
• Kosciusko County
• Noble County

Making a hospice decision

Contact us when you and your doctor agree that you no longer wish to pursue curative treatment. We are ready to provide in-home, skilled medical care and therapy that fit your needs. Caregivers will honor your wishes to make the most of every moment of life and fully live until death.

Signs it may be time to call Goshen Hospice

• Frequent hospitalizations or trips to the ER
• Frequent or reoccurring infections
• Reduced desire to eat, leading to significant weight loss and changes in body composition
• Rapid decline in health over past six months, even with aggressive medical treatments
• Decreasing alertness, withdrawal, increased sleeping or mental confusion
• Inability to perform tasks of daily living, such as eating, walking, using the bathroom, personal cleaning or getting dressed
• Decision to focus on comfort care
• Uncontrolled pain
• Shortness of breath, even at rest
• Not “bouncing back” after illness
• Not responding to current treatment or therapy
• Wounds that do not heal

Deciding to stop hospice care

You and your family drive the plan of hospice care and have the right to choose the type of care you receive. If you decide to try a different approach, your hospice team will work with you and your family to honor your wishes.

Care. Comfort. Compassion.

Please call Goshen Hospice to receive information about our services. We offer support to patients and families 24 hours a day. Goshen Home Care & Hospice, (574) 364-2700.
Fax: (574) 364-2835

For referrals click here

End of Life Care

What to expect from veteran-specific hospice care

Easing end-of-life journeys for patients with military service

We recognize the unique needs of our veterans and their families at the end of life. For many, military life takes a toll on their physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Our care team at Goshen Hospice knows the importance of listening and learning about how military experiences affect the lives of patients and their family members. Through special training, we are prepared to care for those who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, service-related diseases, depression, anxiety and other conditions.

Veteran volunteers honor patients at end of life

As part of our service, we support a Veteran-to-Veteran Volunteer Program that pairs patients with a veteran volunteer. Oftentimes patients feel comfortable with another veteran and can talk openly about their military experiences. The common bond of service enhances quality of life and eases the journey toward a more peaceful ending.

Special training guides veteran volunteers in providing comfort, support and companionship to patients who have served in the military and their families.

Community-wide veteran support efforts

Our community outreach programs increase access to end-of-life care for veterans in the region. We present veteran-specific programs to service organizations and work closely with area healthcare centers to share information about the unique needs of veterans.

Pinning ceremonies give us an opportunity to express gratitude for a patient’s military service. During planned events and spontaneous opportunities, veterans receive hat pins with the emblem of their military branch. It’s a meaningful way to recognize their service and sacrifice for their country. Veterans also have an opportunity to share stories about their experiences.

We Honor Veterans Partner

As a partner in the national We Honor Veterans (WHV) program, Goshen Health embraces the goal to increase hospice awareness among veterans in our community. WHV provides resources, including education and training materials, to help us expand the veteran-specific care we provide.

Goshen Hospice was the first WHV partner to achieve Level Three in Elkhart County. We continue to strengthen relationships with area hospice programs, Veterans Administration medical centers and veteran organizations.

Care. Comfort. Compassion.

Learn more about how to volunteer for our Veteran-to-Veteran Volunteer Program at Goshen Hospice.

Know when a loved one is ready for hospice care

Deciding it's time for comfort care

A decision for hospice care is a decision to focus care on quality of life, rather than length of life. When you or a loved one decide to end curative treatment for a life-limiting illness, you may be ready to receive in-home hospice care. Our hospice team at Goshen Home Care & Hospice will work with your doctors to make sure you are eligible for hospice benefits.

10 signs a loved one may need hospice care

• Frequent hospitalizations or trips to the ER
• Frequent or recurring infections
• Reduced desire to eat, leading to significant weight loss and changes in body composition
• Rapid decline in health over past six months, even with aggressive medical treatments
• Decreasing alertness, withdrawal, increased sleeping or mental confusion
• Inability to perform tasks of daily living, such as eating, walking, using the bathroom, personal cleaning or getting dressed
• Uncontrolled pain
• Shortness of breath, even at rest
• Not responding to current treatment or therapy
• Wounds that do not heal

Disease-specific indications to choose hospice care

Alzheimer’s disease
No longer able to walk
No longer able to have a meaningful conversation
Incontinent

Lung disease
Disabling shortness of breath at rest
Dependent on oxygen
Frequent respiratory infections

Heart Disease
Chest pain or shortness of breath at rest

Stroke
Bed bound
Weight loss
Difficulty swallowing

Kidney disease
No longer pursing dialysis or renal transplant

Liver disease
Increased abdominal swelling
Muscle wasting
Bleeding problems

Deciding to stop hospice care

You and your family drive the plan of hospice care and have the right to choose the type of care you receive. If you decide to try a different approach, your hospice team will work with you and your family to honor your wishes.

Support during times of grief

After a loved one’s death, your life may be filled with many emotions, confusion and trying times for families. That’s why we offer hospice bereavement services to support you as well as family members, caregivers and friends, as you grieve.

Our bereavement services

• Inspirational mailings give a gentle reminder that you are not alone. These mailings offer help and hope as you cope with your grief experience.
• Phone contacts and visits offer conversation and support for one year after a loved one’s death. Usually, we contact you on a quarterly basis. You can tailor the schedule for calls to fit your family’s needs.
• Invitation to the Hospice Memorial Service gives hospice caregivers a way to remember your loved one and provide support for you and your family.
• Bereavement Support Groups offer support and companionship during six-week sessions. Support groups are scheduled to begin in March, June and September each year. An additional support group meets during the holiday season. Bereavement mailings include information about meeting times and location for these groups.
• Grief Through the Holidays mailing offers information and tips on getting through the holidays.

There is no charge for Goshen Hospice bereavement services. Support groups are open to the community whether or not a loved one received Goshen Hospice services.

Advance care directives guide end-of-life care

Most of us would like to make our own decisions about the kind of health care we receive at the end of life. Advance care directives are written documents that record your decisions about care you want if your health declines.

The documents guide your family members and medical providers who may need to make healthcare decisions for you if you cannot communicate for yourself.

Start a conversation

We have facilitators trained by Honoring Choices who can guide you through important steps to build your personal advance care plan. Sessions are free for adults of any age.

Planning sessions give you a great way to talk about what matters most to you for quality of life. You also can get the documents you need to record your decisions and share with family members and caregivers.

Schedule an advance care planning appointment to get started on your plan.

State-specific advanced directives

Laws governing advance directives vary from state to state. Indiana residents can download documents from the Indiana State Department of Health Advance Directives Resource Center.

State-specific documents and forms available in English and Spanish give you the tools to:

• Appoint a healthcare representative
• Authorize a Do Not Resuscitate order (DNR)
• Request life-prolonging procedures
• Complete a Physician Order for the Scope of Treatment (POST)

Make sure to give copies of completed forms to your primary care provider, family members and the hospital.

Additional resources

These websites may help you begin a conversation about end-of-life care with your family:

• Honoring Choices Indiana
• Five Wishes
• The Conversation Project
• Indiana Donor Network
• The Indiana Patient Preferences Coalition