Frequently Asked Questions About Hospice House

Family members of patients have access to Kansas City Hospice House 24 hours a day. The facility is locked overnight, but a buzzer system lets people in when doors are locked.

Tours are given frequently, but it is recommended that you call ahead for a tour to ensure that a staff member is available to assist you. Please call 816-941-1000 to schedule a tour.

Pets as visitors are welcome and should be on a leash and accompanied at all times. Pets who visit Kansas City Hospice House should be quiet, well-controlled and comfortable with people—including children—and other animals.

There are many donation and volunteer opportunities. View more information, or call 816-363-2600.

Patients on ventilators can best be served at hospitals, which specialize in this type of care.

Invasive medical procedures, such as transfusions, are not done at Kansas City Hospice House. Medical problems are generally addressed through medications, rather than through technical interventions. You may call 816-363-2600 to ask about an individual patient’s needs.

When a patient’s care and treatment goals involve resuscitation, Kansas City Hospice House may not be the best place for care. If a patient who wants resuscitation stops breathing, staff will call 911. Kansas City Hospice House does not maintain a crash cart.

The facility is not the best place for patients who are mobile and wandering because there is not a locked unit.

Patients are welcome to bring photos, small decorations, books and other items, which can be displayed on shelves in the patient rooms. Patients are welcome to bring their own nightclothes, or we will provide gowns.

The facility is meant for patients to stay for short amounts of time as needed to get symptoms under control. Many patients are able to return home after their conditions have stabilized. On average, patients stay about seven days.

Your personal physician is welcome to be your physician while you are at Kansas City Hospice House if desired. Our physicians are also available if preferred. Most patients are cared for by our physicians during their stay.

Services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and some private insurance policies. As a nonprofit organization, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care strives to serve all in need, and fee waiver is available for those who meet financial criteria. Staff can assist families in determining reimbursement or the need for assistance.

Visitors are asked to smoke in their cars, or away from the building in designated areas.

The hospitality desk is available to help you find nearby restaurants, grocery stores and anything else you may need while you stay with your loved one. Soup and pastries are available to family members. However, full meal service is not provided for family members.

Visitors may keep small amounts of personal food in a common refrigerator. In addition, a full kitchen and smaller kitchenettes provide places for family members to prepare and heat meals.