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You do not have to give up to find comfort in hospice. If your child is facing a life-limiting illness, you may need extra support, comfort and care. Hospice services help families manage the emotional, spiritual and physical needs that are unique to pediatric end-of-life care. At Riley at IU Health, your child and family can receive hospice services while your child continues treatment for his or her illness.
We understand that children have very different needs than adults. Each member of our hospice team, which includes doctors, nurses, chaplains and social workers, has received special training in caring for children.
Your child’s hospice doctor will manage pain, the side effects of treatment and other symptoms while providing leadership for the rest of the hospice team. Hospice nurses, who are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, will visit your home or the hospital to see how your child is feeling physically and emotionally, as well as to monitor changes in his or her health. The hospice nurse will teach you how to care for your child, including what to expect, how to use medicines and what care he or she may need every day.
Other members of the hospice care team focus on your family’s emotional and spiritual needs. Social workers help children transition from the hospital to home care, assist with funeral arrangements, seek out community resources for financial or legal matters and help reduce caregiver stress. Chaplains provide spiritual counseling to help your family cope with illness, dying and grief through religious and spiritual beliefs. We also use complementary therapies such as pet therapy, music therapy and art therapy to improve your child’s emotional well-being.
Your child’s entire care team will work closely with you and your child’s doctors to create a coordinated care plan. We update the care plan frequently to ensure your child receives the care he or she needs as his or her health changes.
In addition to hospice care, Riley at IU Health offers the Hope in Healing Bereavement Program, a pediatric bereavement program that provides grief support to families who have lost a child.
We are dedicated to helping maximize the quality of your child’s life while providing comfort to your family.
Riley Hospice at IU Health provides services to patients both in the hospital and at home. We provide care for the patients in their room and follow them home if they are able to change levels of care. Hospice does not have a physical location in a hospital, but our staff will go to the hospital to meet with patients and families.
Please contact Hospice at 317.962.0800 or 866.272.5083.
The Hospice at Riley at IU Health provides the following forms for parents, healthcare providers and personnel. We have also curated relevant resources from other websites and provided links with brief descriptions of the information that is available.
Patient Advocates (Riley at IU Health)
Our patient advocates and social workers work with you at every step of the care process to make sure you have the tools you need to make care decisions for your child.
Spiritual Care & Chaplain Services (Riley at IU Health)
Available around the clock, our chaplains provide emotional and spiritual support and can help you find a spiritual leader of your faith.
Music Therapy (Riley at IU Health)
Using music, our therapists create a safe environment where patients and families can share their thoughts and feelings.
Art Therapy (Riley at IU Health)
By guiding your child through art exercises, our art therapists help kids understand their feelings about illness and treatment.
Pet Therapy Program (Riley at IU Health)
Regular visits from therapy animals can help your child deal with the stresses of illness and treatment.
Grief & Bereavement Services (Riley at IU Health)
Our program provides compassionate, individualized support for families who have lost a child at Riley at IU Health.
Pain & Symptom Management (Riley at IU Health)
Pain and symptom management is an important aspect of integrative medicine and palliative care services at Riley at IU Health.
Therapeutic Massage (Riley at IU Health)
Massage may be used to reduce pain and anxiety and improve symptoms in children with life-limiting illnesses at Riley at IU Health.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Visit this site for printable brochures about hospice and palliative care for children.
We provide multispecialty care for a number of conditions. Below are links to our related programs & departments.
Any physician, healthcare professional, healthcare agency or family member may refer a patient to hospice services. We accept patient referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We work closely with referring physicians to manage care and meet the individual needs of each child.
Riley at IU Health works with referring physicians in Indiana and beyond.
Refer A Patient
