Since Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) opened Illinois’ first freestanding hospice home inpatient unit in 2004, community need for compassionate end-of-life care has surpassed the facility’s capacity. Last year alone, the Hospice Home cared for over 500 patients. Yet, there were far too many days when families were told their loved one would be placed on a waiting list to be admitted into the home.

In 2017, a committee was created to confirm the feasibility of a $3.5 million capital campaign subsequently named “Remembering from the Heart.” An overwhelmingly positive response was received from the community. The $3.5 million campaign will expand and renovate the Hospice Home inpatient unit adding four additional patient rooms, bringing capacity from 16 to 20, with convertible space for another four rooms in the future. Until August 2018, only 16 beds were allowed at Illinois inpatient hospice units. The bill to increase the bed capacity to 20 was introduced by Illinois State Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet), and quickly passed through the House. It was then supported by Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) who helped move the bill through the Illinois Senate. In August of 2018, former Governor Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law. This timing was perfect for JACH to add these rooms to its planned renovations.

Every aspect of the expansion plan focuses on maintaining a dignified and comfortable quality of life for patients and families, including additional family gathering, cooking and dining spaces that provide more family privacy. The central nursing station will be replaced by nursing cubbies throughout the facility so nurses will be closer to their patients. The kitchen and spiritual space will be expanded and each patient room will be equipped with a refrigerator, sink and French doors leading to a private patio.

Since 1982 when JACH started, the public has learned more about hospice and end of life care and the importance of having options in one’s final days. Hospice is a specialized type of care for those facing a terminal illness provided wherever home is: the family home, nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital or an inpatient hospice unit. Pain and symptom management is provided by an interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, CNAs, chaplains, social workers and volunteers. Together they provide medical, emotional and spiritual support. Both the patient and the family are provided bereavement services to assist with coping with grief and loss.

The improvements to the JACH inpatient unit will allow more families to receive the care they deserve in a warm, welcoming setting.

If you would like to support Joliet Area Community Hospice’s “Remembering from the Heart” campaign, please contact Jackie Bersano, Sr. Director of Development at 815.740.4104 or visit lightways.org.

Since Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) opened Illinois’ first freestanding hospice home in-patient unit in 2004, community need for compassionate end-of-life care has outgrown the facility’s capacity. Last year alone, the Hospice Home cared for over 500 patients. Yet, there were far too many days when families were told their loved one would be placed on a waitlist to be admitted into the home.

In 2018, a committee was created to confirm the feasibility of a $3.5 million capital campaign called “Remembering from the Heart”, to expand and renovate the Hospice Home including four additional patient rooms, bringing capacity from 16 to 20, with additional space to add another four rooms in the future. Until August 2018, only 16 beds were allowed in in patient hospice units when former Governor Rauner signed a bill to increase the beds to 20. This was perfect timing for JACH to add these rooms during the renovation. The bill was initiated by Illinois State Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet), Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) helped move the bill through the Illinois Senate.

Every aspect of the expansion plan focuses on maintaining a dignified and comfortable quality of life for patients and families, including additional family gathering, cooking and dining spaces that provide more family privacy. The central nursing station will be replaced by nursing cubbies throughout the facility for nurses to be closer to their patients.

Since 1982 when JACH started, the public has learned more about hospice and end of life care and the importance of having options in your final days. Hospice is a specialized type of care to those facing a terminal illness. A person must meet the qualifications before receiving hospice services. They may receive them anywhere they call home: family home, nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital or an in-patient hospice unit. The patient and their caregivers decide to focus on the quality of life instead of a curative treatment. Pain and symptom management is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, CNAs, chaplains, social workers and volunteers. Together they provide medical, emotional and spiritual support. After the patient dies, the family is provided with bereavement services to learn how to cope with grief.

The improvements to the JACH in-patient unit will allow more families to receive the care they desire. If you would like to support Joliet Area Community Hospice’s Remembering from the Heart campaign, please contact Jackie Bersano, Sr. Director of Development and Communications at 815.740.4104 ext 335 or visit https://lightways.org/donate/campaign-for-the-hospice-home/.

The upcoming holidays can be daunting when a loved one is no longer with us. Joliet Area Community Hospice hosts its 13th annual Lights of Love Memorial Tribute and Tree Lighting Ceremony for families to honor loved ones who are no longer with us.

This event brought to you by Kurtz Ambulance, Busey Bank and The Horton Group will take place Wednesday, November 12, 2018 at the Rialto Square Theater, 102 N. Chicago St., Joliet. Music, poetry, reflections and a beautiful video tribute fill the Rialto Square Theatre with the warmth of memories on the evening before Thanksgiving.

Participants receive a keepsake ornament in memory of their loved one along with a memorial ornament. When they hear the name of their loved one, families walk together on the Rialto’s stage to hang memorial ornaments on a Christmas tree.

A $20 donation includes a Keepsake ornament and five admission tickets to Lights of Love Memorial Tribute and Tree Lighting Ceremony a part of Home for the Holidays at the Rialto.

To register, visit joliethospice.org under the events tab or call 815-740-4104. Photos for the memorial tribute are due by November 7, 2018. JACH Lights of Love was nominated as one of the Best Events in The Herald-News Readers’ Choice awards for 2018. Joliet Area Community Hospice is your community’s not-for-profit hospice choice and a United Way Agency. REAL PEOPLE REAL CARE YOUR FAMILY

Joliet Area Community Hospice provides compassionate, professional hospice and palliative care to over 25,000 terminally ill patients and their families since 1982. In the past two years alone, Joliet Area Community Hospice provided over $1.2 million in charity care, community bereavement programs, unreimbursed pediatric hospice and palliative care, and community outreach. We are a not-for-profit corporation, state licensed, Medicare/Medicaid certified and supported by United Way of Will and Grundy Counties. We serve patients in greater Will, Grundy, LaSalle, Livingston, and Kendall counties along with portions of Cook, DuPage and Kankakee counties.

The mission of Joliet Area Community Hospice is to provide comprehensive, holistic, community based support service and care for terminally ill persons, their caregivers and loved ones without regard to economic status; to enable the dying person to live peacefully, in comfort, and with dignity to the last moment of life.

Joliet Area Community Hospice complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. Free language assistance services are available to our JACH patients/families. Call 1-800-360-1817 or 815-740-4104 TTY/TTD 815-460-3224.

Let’s start the conversation! Joliet Area Community Hospice is hosting “Remembering from the Heart” Annual Dinner Fundraiser on Monday, April 22 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Bolingbrook Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Dr., Bolingbrook, IL. The public is invited to the dinner, presented by Signature sponsors: Busey Bank, D’Arcy Buick GMC, The Horton Group and Kurtz Ambulance and Emergency Services.* Tickets are $75 per guest, with tables of 10 available. Dinner, cash bar, raffles, auction and other fun activities will fill the evening. All proceeds benefit Joliet Area Community Hospice adult and pediatric hospice and palliative care programs and community bereavement services.

JACH will honor this year’s Heart of Hospice Award recipients: IL Representative Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) for envisioning a better hospice future and improving access to quality
end-of-life care through legislation and Margaret and Bill Benoit for unwavering support, love and advocacy for JACH with gifts of time, talent and treasure.

Joliet Area Community Hospice has served the community for 37 years, now in the counties of Will, Grundy, Kendall, Livingston, LaSalle and parts of DuPage, Kankakee and Southern Cook. Pre-registration is required and can be made at lightways.org under events or call 815-740-4104. Pre-registration required by April 12, 2019.

* To date, other event sponsors include, Medline, Silver Cross Hospital, Elite Therapy, Edward Jones/Ed Dollinger and Mark Karner, Financial Advisors, and AdvaCare. Joliet Area Community Hospice, a not-for-profit United Way Agency and this community’s choice for quality end of life care.

Joliet Area Community Hospice provides compassionate, professional hospice and palliative care to over 32,000 terminally ill patients and their families since 1982. In the past two years alone, Joliet Area Community Hospice provided over $1.55 million in charity care, community bereavement programs, unreimbursed pediatric hospice and palliative care, and community outreach. We are a not-for-profit corporation, state licensed, Medicare/Medicaid certified and supported by United Way of Will and Grundy Counties. We serve patients in greater Will, Grundy, and Kendall, LaSalle, and Livingston counties along with portions of Cook, DuPage and Kankakee counties.