| Our Mission
Celebrating 25 Years - Our History at a Glance
Family Satisfaction Survey Results
What Makes Joliet Area Community Hospice Different?
Service Area Map
Our Mission
The mission of Joliet Area Community Hospice is to provide comprehensive, holistic, community based support services 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.
Celebrating 25 Years - Our History At A Glance
1982 Hospice becomes available in the Joliet are through the combined efforts of St. Joseph Medical Center, Silver Cross Hospital and several community groups and individuals. Joliet Area Community Hospice becomes the first hospice established in the community.
1983 Rosemary Bowe is named Executive Director and opens the inital office located at 333 N. Hammes. The first group of hospice volunteers received training in March.
Joliet Area Community Hospice admitted its first patient onto the Bethany Unit at St. Joseph Medical Center on April 1st. By December, 127 patients had been served. 
1984 The Joliet Area Community Hospice Guild Volunteer fundraising group was formed.
1985 By the end of the year, over 480 patients had received hospice services. Joliet Area Community Hospice becomes member of United Way of Will County.
 1986 Joliet Area Community Hospice receives full licensing from the State of Illinois Department of Health. Mary Jo Smith becomes the second Executive Director with 2 additional staff members. In August, the offices were moved to the Marycrest Shopping Center at 2112 W. Jefferson St.
1986 January - Over 820 patients received services with an average daily census of 27 patients.
1990 In October, Joliet Area Community Hospice becomes the first hospice in Will County to qualify as a provider of Medicare hospice benefits. Over 1,200 patients have received hospice services.
1990 Moved into new offices donated by Jack & Virgina Rogers in 1989 at 335 W. Jefferson St. Volunteers spent close to a year renovating the space with donated services from the City of Joliet, Cliff Bender, architect, and many others to make it functional for the needs of the organization. Berryman transfer volunteered their time to complete the move.
1992 In December, Duane Krieger becomes the third Executive Director.
 1994 Almost 2000 dying patients and their families have been served by Joliet Area Community Hospice since opening in 1983.
1999 The Board of Directors begins pursuing a dream of building the first freestanding Hospice Home in Illinois.
2001 A $3 million capital campaign begins to raise the funds to build the Hospice Home.
2002 In September, a groundbreaking ceremony is held at the site of the Hospice Home.
 2003 Over 10,000 patients have been served by 110 employees and 200 active volunteers with a daily census of 140 patients.
2004 In May, the Joliet Area Community Hospice Home opens, becoming the first freestanding hospice home in Illinois.
2006 A new program, The Palliative Care Services of Joliet Area Community Hospice, admits its first patients at Provena St. Joseph Medical Center and Silver Cross Hospital.
2007 Having served over 12,000 patients with and average daily census of 165 patients and over 1,200 families using bereavement services, Joliet Area Community Hospice continues to grow with over 150 staff members and 250 active volunteers.
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Family Satisfaction Survey Results
For the past 25 years, Joliet Area Community Hospice has always been proud to offer excellent patient centered care. In 2007 over 1,300 patients received hospice care. Below are 2007 results from the family evaluation of hospice care survey:
- 99.5% of respondents stated they would recommend Joliet Area Community Hospice to others.
- 96% of respondents stated that if they experienced shortness of breath, Joliet Area Community Hospice provided the right amount of help for their difficulty with breathing.
- 97.9% of respondents stated that if the patient took medications for pain, that Joliet Area Community Hospice provided the right amount of pain medication as compared to the national average of 94.3%.
- 97.7% of respondents stated that the patient was always treated with respect from Joliet Area Community Hospice staff.
What makes Joliet Area Community Hospice Different?
Joliet Area Community Hospice is the only non-profit community-based,
Medicare-certified hospice serving Will and Grundy Counties.
Because of the community support, Joliet Area Community Hospice
was able to build the first Hospice Home in the State of
Illinois, bringing cutting edge hospice care to our area.
The staff at Joliet Area Community Hospice go above and beyond
the call of duty to meet the needs of both patient and family
as they face the end of life looking at not only the physical
and psychological needs, but also the environmental, social,
spiritual, and emotional needs.
Joliet Area Community Hospice has a dedicated pediatric
team that has received referrals from area hospitals as well
as
many specialty hospitals such as Children’s Memorial
Hospital, Ronald McDonald Children’s Hospital of Loyola
University Medical Center, University of Chicago Comer Children’s
Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In addition to the pediatric hospice team, there is a Pediatric
Palliative Care Program for children that may not qualify for hospice
services, but could still benefit from comfort care and family
support services.
In 2006, Joliet Area Community Hospice introduced our new Palliaitve Care Services to provide comfort and compassion to patients facing a life-limiting illness, but may not qualify or are ready for hospice services. Visit the Palliative Care page to learn more about this special program.
As a non-profit agency, Joliet Area Community
Hospice receives additional funding from the United Way
of Will County, United Way of Grundy County, grants,
memorials, general donations and bequests.
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Service Area Map
The map below shows the service area for
patients in their own home, nursing home,assisted living or hospital that
is served by Joliet Area Community Hospice. The service area
includes Greater Will, Grundy, and Kendall Counties in addition to
the southern part of Cook County and DuPage County.
Pediatric Hospice services can be provided beyond the service area shown.
Please speak with the Pediatric Coordinator to determine if we can serve your area.
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