Community Hospices

Community Hospices sits at 3720 Upton Street NW in Washington, DC, and has focused on caring for elderly, chronically ill, and terminally ill people since 1888, so it's been around for a very long time and really has deep roots in the community, and they do Medicare, which is nice for families that worry about cost, plus they're certified by both CMS and the Community Health Accreditation Program, which says they've been checked every which way for quality and safety. The hospice care there really leans into comfort, working to ease pain and give relief from hard symptoms, and the team includes physicians, nurses, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers, all working together for the people there. They've even got special resources in nearby hospitals-Cardiac ICU, Medical Surgical ICU, Pediatric ICU, Neonatal ICU, Burn care, physical rehab, beds for inpatient hospice, and even psychiatric support-though there's no trauma center on-site, just so that's clear. Folks can get support wherever they call home, be it a private house, assisted living, or a nursing home, and care can get pretty intensive, like when a person needs 24-hour help through the "Intensive Comfort Care" service. There's a real focus on letting each person keep their dignity, and instead of strict rules about care, the staff-who follow patient-centered, non-prescriptive standards-really try to shape things around each person's wishes. Community Hospices also helps grieving families and friends, offering bereavement support, grief programs, and even a chance to create memorial websites, start memorial funds, send flowers, publish obituaries, send out invitations for funerals, and record family details to help with the stress after loss. When someone's getting close to the end of life, or when age and health mean they can't live alone, there are long-term care units and rehab units to help people stay comfortable or even recover enough to go back home. The facility gives information about nursing care and retirement services but doesn't have a ton of details online, though they will connect you with a free local advisor. Stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and services are all nearby, which makes errands easier for families coming to visit. Above all, Community Hospices makes it its mission to help those who are elderly, very sick, or dying keep as much dignity and independence as possible, and has done so for generations in the Washington, DC area.