Who we are
About Lightways
Founded in 1982 as Joliet Area Community Hospice, Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care is an independent, nonprofit healthcare provider licensed in 11 counties in Illinois. We provide exceptional serious illness care, hospice care and grief support for adults and children.
Founded in 1982 as Joliet Area Community Hospice, Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care is an independent, nonprofit healthcare provider licensed in 11 counties in Illinois. We provide exceptional serious illness care, hospice care and grief support for adults and children.
No matter how dark the night, how sad and scary the time feels, we will always be there to provide a sense of guidance, a moment of comfort, and the powerful positivity of light.
When you or a loved one suffers from a long illness or needs end-of-life care, you want a compassionate and experienced partner to guide you through this uncertain time.
Lightways offers unwavering guidance and support.
At Lightways, we know how important time is. Our devoted team of highly-skilled healthcare professionals listen to your needs and work with you to develop the best plan of care. Our goal for all patients and families is simple: Time together with less pain and more joy.
With 200 employees serving 11 counties in Northern Illinois, Lightways offers four care specialties:
Serious Illness Care
Our serious illness care program serves people who have advanced, chronic or life-limiting illnesses. We provide pain and symptom management, care coordination and most importantly, clear-headed, practical and kind counsel to patient and family.
Patients seek our care when they’ve received a tough diagnosis and there is much to navigate. Curative treatment continues if the patient desires.
Serious Illness Care is provided by nurse practitioners and social workers in full consult with the established medical team. We come to the patient—be it at home, in a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living facility. Medicare and most insurance companies cover our services.
Hospice Care
Hospice care provides physical, emotional and spiritual support for patients with a terminal illness.
An interdisciplinary team consisting of a nurse case manager, a certified nursing assistant, a social worker and a chaplain, partners with the patient and family to determine a care plan that incorporates the patient’s wishes.
Care is provided in the home or care facility.
For patients who require 24-hour nursing care to control pain and symptoms, we have a 20-bed hospice inpatient unit in Joliet. This newly-expanded facility is designed to optimize comfort for both patient and family.
Grief Support
Compassionate care at Lightways continues after a death. Grief support is offered to all Lightways families and extends to anyone in the community in need of our services.
Our Grief Support program offers a wide range of options tailored to our clients’ needs. Licensed grief counselors provide individual and family counseling.
Additionally, we offer a slate of workshops, support groups and special programs aimed at grief education, self-care during intense grief reactions, and developing coping skills that assist in working through the grief process.
All Grief Support is provided at no charge.
Pediatric Program
Children who have medically complex, chronic or life-limiting illnesses receive pain and symptom management and care coordination though our Pediatric Program.
Our team is exceptionally trained in pediatric serious illness and hospice care. In collaboration with the patient’s medical team, registered nurses, physicians and social workers provide regular assessment of the child’s condition and teach, support, and assist in whatever way will help to lighten the load for the child and family.
As a non-profit agency, Lightways receives additional funding from the United Way of Will County, United Way of Grundy County, grants, memorials, fundraising events, general donations, and bequests.