Hospice

Mayo Clinic Hospice affirms life and recognizes dying as part of the normal process of living, therefore neither hastens nor postpones death. When hospice care becomes the treatment of choice, there is a shift from curative to supportive care measures. The primary focus at Mayo Clinic Hospice is helping you live as fully and as comfortably as possible.

Dying is a natural part of life. But receiving a diagnosis of a terminal disease doesn't mean you have to quit living.

At Mayo Clinic Hospice, an interdisciplinary team of professionals listens to your wishes and works with you to develop a care plan individualized to your needs and preferences. Specialists and volunteers manage your physical symptoms while tending to your spiritual and emotional needs, as well as those of your family and personal caregivers.

Mayo Clinic Hospice provides care wherever you live — in your home, the hospital, an assisted living facility, a memory care facility, a nursing home, foster home or other location — and is available to people of all ages with both a diagnosed terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live.

Mayo Clinic Hospice is a supportive home-based service committed to:

• Delivering individualized compassionate care that respects your dignity and honors your needs and wishes.
• Applying an interdisciplinary team approach to meet your physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
• Using proven best-practice interventions to promote comfort and relieve pain.
• Accompanying you and your family through end-of-life care and death in the setting of your choice and in a manner that suits your needs.
• Comforting you and your family with individualized bereavement support.
• Providing hope as we care to every individual regardless of need or condition. (No one is turned away from Mayo Clinic Hospice because of his or her disease.)

A team focused on your needs

No matter where you need hospice care, Mayo Clinic will focus a team of specialists on your needs. Depending on your requirements and wishes, your care team may include these specialists:

• Hospice medical director is responsible for the management of the terminal illness and any related conditions.
• Primary physician continues to be involved in your hospice care.
• Nurse practitioner assists with symptom management and makes home visits if needed.
• Registered nurse (RN) patient care coordinator visits regularly and makes ongoing assessments of physical, emotional and spiritual symptoms (each person is assigned one RN coordinator).
• Hospice visiting nurse may assist with medication management, dressing changes, other physical care and emotional support.
• Hospice aide provides personal care, homemaking services and other supportive services.
• Pharmacist is dedicated to hospice, regularly reviews your medications and provides input to manage symptoms to improve quality of life.
• Social worker meets with you and caregivers to assess financial issues, emotional stress, safety of environment and coping skills.
• Bereavement coordinator provides follow-up, support and grief education for loved ones throughout 13 months following death.
• Volunteers are screened and trained by hospice staff to provide a variety of services, including companionship and a supportive presence.
• Chaplain/spiritual care coordinator respects individual beliefs and practices and is available for spiritual, religious support or both.
• Other professionals are available based on your needs, including physical, occupational, speech and integrative therapists, and dietitians.

Medications, supplies and equipment

Mayo Clinic Hospice care specialists work with you to use medications to promote comfort. The registered nurse patient care coordinator collaborates with your primary care doctor to assess medication use and makes suggestions.

If you have any necessary medical equipment needs, Hospice care specialists will ensure it's delivered to your residence. Caregivers will help you get these items to manage care and provide comfort measures.

Contact us

Mayo Clinic Hospice is here for your loved one and for everyone who serves as a caregiver. Call and let us know how we can help.

Rochester office

200 First St. SW
Rochester, MN 55905

Serving the counties of Blue Earth, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Steele, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona.

Registered nurse available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Call 507-284-4002 or 800-679-9084 (toll-free), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.