Hospice and palliative care are essential services for anyone entering the last phase of their life. Many senior caregivers may rightly wonder which hospice and palliative care facilities, companies, and organizations are worth researching and what to consider during their search.
This article will review what makes hospice and palliative care “good” and list ten of Arizona’s highly-rated senior care facilities.
What To Consider When Researching Hospice and Palliative Care Facilities
There are many things to consider when researching hospice and palliative care facilities. Thankfully, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) has a hospice questionnaire people can cross-reference when considering hospice and palliative care options.
A few of the notable questions featured in the NHPCO’s questionnaire are:
- Is the facility for profit or not-for-profit?
- How many years has it operated?
- Are both palliative and hospice care available?
- Is there an inpatient unit as well as home care?
- Is it Medicare-certified?
To develop the list below, I used the above comparison points to differentiate between hospice and palliative care facilities. In addition, I only researched places that received a rating between 4-5 stars on Google and checked to see if each provider also appeared on the NHPCO’s provider list. Note that these hospice and palliative care facilities are not rated in any particular order. As always, with lists such as this, I encourage you and your loved one to do unique online research and to ask a trusted doctor, and possibly a social worker, for their thoughts on hospice and palliative care facilities in your area, too. (Another useful decision-making tool is Medicare.gov’s provider comparison service.)
Top Hospice and Palliative Care Facilities in Arizona
1. Hospice of the Valley
Hospice of the Valley has operated since 1977 and serves multiple locations in Arizona. It’s a not-for-profit organization that is state-licensed and Medicare-certified. The organization offers various services, including standard hospice care and specialized offerings (pre-hospice care, bedside vigils, veteran program, bicultural and LGBTQ support, and grief support). Hospice of the Valley also has palliative care, specialized dementia care, and ailment-specific care (heart disease, lung disease, etc.). NHPCO reports that Hospice of the Valley provides acute and general inpatient care.
2. Arizona Care Hospice
Arizona Care Hospice has three locations in Arizona. It’s Medicare-certified and accredited by CHAP (the Community Health Accreditation Partner). CHAP is a nonprofit, independent accrediting organization. Arizona Care Hospice has similar services compared to other hospices on this list (patients have access to a primary and hospice physician, a home health aide, spiritual counselor, etc.). Arizona Care Hospice was founded in 2015 and has expanded, adding two locations in 2016 and 2019. It’s unclear if Arizona Care Hospice offers palliative care, if it offers its services on-site or in a patient’s home, or is for or not for profit.
3. Hospice of the West LLC
Hospice of the West LLC serves one location in Arizona. It’s Medicare-certified, accredited by CHAP, and also offers palliative care. Services offered are similar to other organizations on this list. Hospice of the West does not have a stand-alone facility but will provide care to people wherever they live. Hospice of the West was founded in 2010. It’s unclear it this hospice is for or not for profit.
4. East Valley Hospice (LHC Group)
East Valley Hospice has two locations in Arizona and is part of the LHC Group, which has many national locations. This hospice is state-licensed, Medicare-certified, and accredited by a joint commission. East Valley Hospice provides similar standard hospice care compared to providers on this list.
The organization’s care specialties include:
- ALS
- Cancer care
- End of life care
- Failure to thrive
- HIV
- Life limiting illnesses
- Liver disease
- Palliative care
- Stroke or coma
LHC Group, East Valley Hospice’s “parent” organization, provides in-home healthcare throughout the United States, as well as home- and community-based services and facility-based care. LHC Group was founded in 1994. I could not determine if Alabama Hospice Care was for or not for profit or if it provides palliative care, too.
5. Compassus
Compassus serves multiple locations in Arizona and has sites throughout the United States. According to its website, the hospice is Medicare-certified and accredited independently through the Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP). Compassus also is part of the We Honor Veterans program and provides palliative care. The NHPCO, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, developed the “We Honor Veterans” campaign.
Compassus’ services are comparable to other hospice providers on this list. The company’s website also states it provides four different types of hospice care, including routine home care, continuous care, inpatient care, and respite care. It is unclear if Compassus is not for profit, and I could not determine when it was founded.
6. Hospice of the Pines
Hospice of the Pines has one location in Arizona. According to its website, it’s state-licensed, medicare-certified, and accredited independently through the Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP). It’s also part of the We Honor Veterans program.
Hospice of the Pines provides similar care to other hospices on this list and from what I can tell, it serves people wherever they are located. The hospice’s specialty services offered include:
- End-stage cardiovascular disease
- Stroke
- Congestive heart failure
- Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- End-stage renal disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- End-stage liver disease
- End-stage Alzheimer’s disease
- End-stage dementia
- AIDS
- ALS
Hospice of the Pines also provides care at participating hospitals in the area. Hospice of the Pines is not for profit, and I could not determine if it offers palliative care. The Better Business Bureau states it’s been in business for 15 years.
7. Elevate Hospice & Palliative Care
Elevate Hospice & Palliative Care serves one area in the state. It is Medicare-certified and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC). It appears that Elevate Hospice & Palliative Care only provides in-home hospice care. As Elevate’s full name suggests, it provides palliative and hospice care, as well as bereavement support and respite care. Elevate’s other services are comparable to other hospices on this list. It does not appear that Elevate Hospice & Palliative Care is not for profit. I could not determine when Elevate was founded.
8. Traditions Health: Home Health & Hospice Care of Mesa
Traditions Hospice of Mesa serves one area in Arizona. Its care (at this location) occurs in a free-standing facility. Traditions Hospice of Mesa is state-licensed, Medicare-certified, and accredited. Traditions Health has multiple locations throughout the country and in the state. The Mesa location is one of the hospice’s higher-rated care sites. It’s unclear if Traditions Health offers palliative care, and it appears that it’s for-profit (it’s “privately held”). Traditions Health was founded in 2008.
9. Soulistic Hospice
Soulistic Hospice serves two areas in Arizona. It’s state-licensed, Medicare-certified, and accredited by a joint commission. The hospice organization is not for profit and provides palliative care. Soulistic Hospice’s website highlights the following organization-specific care “perks”:
- Pediatric hospice services
- Faith-based hospice
- Contracted with the Veterans Administration
- Different therapies, such as music, pet, etc.
- Bereavement support
It appears that Soulistic Hospice provides in-home care only and was founded in 2008.
10. Phoenician Hospice
Phoenician Hospice is Medicare-certified, accredited by CHAP, and has one location. The hospice provides standard and unique support. For example, in addition to bereavement support, Phoenician Hospice includes access to a “Grief Recovery Specialist” as well as an Outreach Program to support patients and families (such as help with advanced care planning and directives). Phoenician Hospice was founded in 2017, lists its business type as “partnership,” and I could not determine if care only is provided in a patient’s home or not.