Compassionate hospice care for any age
The mission of Sparrow Hospice Services is to provide physical, emotional, social, and spiritual support to terminally ill patients, as well as their families and loved ones, while assisting patients and families to live with dignity and comfort as they cope with end-of-life issues. Sparrow Hospice Services is a non-profit hospice committed to providing compassionate care to everyone every time, regardless of the level of their insurance or their ability to pay.
At Sparrow Hospice, we believe:
- Hospice affirms life.
- Hospice recognizes dying as a process, and so our care provides comfort rather than cure.
- Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death.
- Hospice helps the terminally ill person maintain their quality of life and helps family members through an extremely stressful time in their lives.
What is Hospice?
Hospice is a philosophy of care that focuses on providing comfort care, not curative treatment. The care provided is designed to help a person with a terminal illness live as well as possible for as long as possible, with the goal of improving quality of life. The hospice philosophy considers your entire family, not just you, as the “unit of care” and support and education are provided to all.
For more detailed information about hospice benefits, please read the Medicare Hospice Benefits PDF.
Where is Hospice provided?
Our comprehensive approach to hospice offers in-home care to residents in eight counties throughout mid-Michigan, as well as an inpatient residence located in Lansing at Hospice House of Mid-Michigan on the Sparrow Hospital St. Lawrence Campus.
We also provide care in many nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout the Mid-Michigan area. We recognize that family members also need care during these difficult times and we strive to offer them the help they need as well.
Who pays for hospice?
Hospice care is covered 100% by Medicare Part A nationwide, by Medicaid in Michigan, and by most private health insurance policies. Patients and families are encouraged to check with their employer or insurance provider that hospice care is a covered benefit. If the patient resides at a facility (including Hospice House of Mid-Michigan), room & board charges from the facility are not a part of the covered hospice benefit. Those charges are the responsibility of the patient.
When is it time for hospice?
At any time during a life-limiting illness, it is appropriate to discuss all of the patient’s care and treatment options, including hospice. The earlier hospice is involved, the more it can do to make the patient’s final days, weeks, or months as comfortable and satisfying as possible. In order for a patient to be admitted to hospice, two (2) physicians must certify that the patient’s life expectancy six (6) months or less if curative treatment is stopped. The first certification is typically done by the patient’s primary or attending physician, including family physician, oncologist, or other specialist and the second by the admitting/attending hospice physician.
How to get started with Sparrow Hospice Services
A physician referral is required for hospice admission. Patients or families can contact our intake office at 517.364.7200 to begin this process. Physicians can also call this number or fax a referral to 517.364.7054. Our intake office processes admissions for both our home hospice program as well as for the inpatient unit, Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, at the Sparrow Hospital St. Lawrence Campus.
Services
Your hospice team will include a physician, nurse case manager, and social worker and you may elect to include a certified nurse’s aide, spiritual counselor, music therapist, and/or volunteers. Consultation may be provided for dietary counseling and speech, occupational, and/or physical therapy.
Services available to patients of Sparrow Hospice include 24-hour on-call nurse support line, certain medical equipment and supplies, coverage of all medications related to the terminal diagnosis, and essential oils. We also participate in the We Honor Veterans program to thank our military veterans for their service. Following the patient’s death, bereavement services are available to provide grief support to the family.
Bereavement Services
Our program is available to provide support and to companion individuals who are experiencing grief and loss related to the death of a loved one. Through short-term individual counseling and support groups, we provide education about the grieving process and what to expect. Services provided are free of charge and available to families of our hospice patients and the community.
For more information, please contact Jen Scholes, LMSW, Bereavement Coordinator at 517.364.7223 or jennifer.scholes@sparrow.org
Support Group Schedule
All groups are available in person or virtually, via WebEx (similar to Zoom) with options for phone call in or video chat. Please contact Jen if you are interested in attending groups virtually and links or phone numbers will be provided for the desired group (each group has different information).
Lansing Area Grief Support
Sparrow St. Lawrence Campus/West Entrance
1210 W. Saginaw, Lansing
2nd Floor Conference Room
WEATHER POLICY: If Lansing Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather, grief groups will be cancelled.
Monthly Support Group
Ongoing Open Support Groups
Any Loss: 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month | 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Loss of Spouse/Partner: 2nd Thursday of each month | 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Loss of Adult Child (**New Offering**): 4th Thursday of each month | 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Loss Beyond One Year Mark: 1st Monday of each month | 10-11 a.m.
Grief Education Groups
This series covers grief related topics, including what to expect while grieving, myths & realities, coping skills, self-care, memorials & rituals, and creating a new normal. This is an ongoing group that can be joined at any point, and if continued over the course of a full year, will cover all the topics.
- 2nd Wednesday of each month | 10–11:30 a.m.
- 3rd Monday of the month | 3:30- 5 p.m.
Virtual Grief Workshops
Workshops will be conducted via WebEx virtual format (similar to Zoom). Options for telephone call in or video chat are available. Sign-up is required to Jen and you will be provided the link or phone number. For book studies, please read the book prior to attending the class. If you need assistance obtaining the book, please contact Jen.
Mon., Jan. 11 | 10-11:30 a.m. Journaling Your Grief
Mon., Jan. 25 | 3:30-5 p.m. Book Study: Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant
Mon., Feb. 8 | 10-11:30 a.m. Grief Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
Mon., Feb. 22 | 3:30-5 p.m. Parenting While Grieving
Mon., March 8 | 10-11:30 a.m. Book Study: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Carson City
St. Mary's Church, 404 N. Division St., Carson City
WEATHER POLICY: If Carson City-Crystal Area Schools are closed due to inclement weather, group will be cancelled.
Open Monthly Support Group
Ongoing Grief Support for any loss
Currently on hold, will re-evaluate in the spring of 2021.
Phone Number: 517.364.7200