Hospice providers expand into rural areas to ease access gaps. Hospice care providers are expanding into underserved regions and reopening facilities after temporary closures, responding to rising demand for end-of-life services where access has historically been limited. These developments reflect a broader shift in how hospice organizations structure operations to meet growing community needs. Gentiva expands in Illinois to meet rising demand. The nation's largest hospice provider by Medicare claims, Gentiva, is launching a new care hub in Peoria, Illinois. Serving patients within a 50-mile radius across seven central Illinois counties, the facility will address unmet needs in the region, according to Jeannie Monroe, executive director of Gentiva Hospice. The company noted that many patients and families remain unaware of hospice options, often misunderstanding its scope beyond end-of-life care. "It's more towards how we can help you live better right now," Monroe told local news. The new center will prioritize timely access and education, particularly for individuals with complex care requirements. Gentiva now operates over 450 locations in 36 states, an expansion driven by its 2022 acquisition of Humana's hospice and home care businesses by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. The restructuring consolidated operations under the Gentiva brand, with Humana later selling its remaining 40% stake for $900 million in June 2023. Florida nonprofit invests $10 million in palliative and grief services. Avow Hospice, a Florida-based nonprofit established in 1983, is investing over $10 million to expand its presence in southwest Florida. The organization has acquired property to build a 40,000-square-foot inpatient hospice facility, alongside an outpatient palliative care clinic and a grief support center. The complex will also serve as a base for home health and hospice care teams. Jaysen Roa, president and CEO of Avow Hospice, described the expansion as "an important investment in the future of care" for Lee County. The facility will centralize services including medication management, bereavement support, and emotional care for patients and families. Avow has already hired 85 new employees to support the growth, with plans to double staffing levels by next year. The nonprofit recently opened a new office in Fort Myers, featuring outpatient palliative care rooms and conference space. This follows a period of steady demand for hospice services, particularly in rural areas where family caregivers often lack support. The new facility's grief support center represents a shift toward addressing families' emotional needs beyond a patient's passing. This approach reflects broader trends in hospice care, where holistic support - including medical, emotional, and spiritual care - is increasingly emphasized. Michigan facility reopens with sliding-scale payment model. The end-of-life care facility Brian's House recently reopened after a temporary closure. Launched in 2017, Brian's House is located in Essexville, Michigan, a southwest region located near the state's Lower Peninsula area. The facility shuttered its hospice program in fall 2025 due to financial strain. The organization has since revamped its approach to sustainability, according to Jane Adams, board president at Brian's House. "Last year was a tough call to make the closing of the doors temporarily, and we always said temporarily," Adams told local news. "We are ready. This home is definitely a necessity and essential in the Bay Area region. There are only four [others] in Michigan. So, we are ready and it's a blessing, it's wonderful." Brian's House collaborated with the nonprofit Bay Area Community Foundation and the consulting firm Omni Tech International to develop a more sustainable financial outlook. The organizations joined forces to hold fundraisers, gather donations and establish a sliding scale payment model for room and board at the hospice facility. Terminally ill individuals with a life expectancy of one month or less who lack home-based support are eligible to receive care at Brian's House. The space features a kitchen, dining area, outdoor spaces and a large sunroom. The organization's staff and volunteers work closely with several local hospice providers to support patients' end-of-life needs. New York hospice prepares to open in repurposed building. Lewis County Hospice in New York is preparing to open a new inpatient facility in northwest New York. The organization purchased a building previously used as a home for individuals with developmental disabilities, which had been vacant since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The space will now serve as a hospice center for patients with complex care needs who lack family support at home, according to Lewis County Manager Tim Hunt. "The place is already set up perfectly for what we're doing, so we don't expect any additional monetary needs to get it ready," Hunt told local news. "A lot of people, when they get to that stage in life and they're looking at comfort care or hospice, if they can stay in their own home, that's great, but if you don't have family here to assist, it's really difficult." Lewis County Hospice is part of the Lewis County Health System, which has operated since 1931 and includes a 160-bed nursing home, three specialty care centers, and a range of inpatient and outpatient services. The new facility will complement the health system's broader offerings, ensuring continuity of care for residents in the region.

New hospice locations crop up as facility relaunches. Some hospices have seen recent growth through new locations in the South, Midwest and East. Meanwhile, one organization plans to soon reopen its hospice facility after a temporary closure. Gentiva unveils Midwest de novo. Gentiva has plans to open a new location in Peoria, Illinois. The location will be a hub for the home care and hospice providers' interdisciplinary care team serving patients within a 50-mile radius across seven counties in the central Illinois region. The company expanded into the area due to rising demand for end-of-life care, said Jeannie Monroe, executive director of Gentiva Hospice. The hospice saw an opportunity to improve timely access and community awareness, according to Monroe. "There were hospice needs here in town that weren't being met by the other hospice companies," Monroe told local news. "It all starts with the conversation and just explaining what hospice is. It's not just stop, and [you're] going to die next week. It's more towards how we can help you live better right now." Gentiva has more than 450 locations in 36 states and is the nation's largest hospice provider by Medicare claims, according to research from Hospice News and Hospice Analytics. The company exploded into the space after private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice acquired a majority interest in Humana's (NYSE: HUM) Kindred at Home hospice and personal care businesses in 2022 and restructured them under the Gentiva brand. Humana in June agreed to a $900 million sale of its remaining 40% minority stake in the company. Avow Hospice expands in Florida. Florida-based Avow Hospice has acquired property to open a new inpatient facility in its home state. The hospice also recently opened a new office location. The new property marks a milestone for the hospice's expansion in southwest Florida, according to Jaysen Roa, president and CEO of Avow Hospice. The organization plans to build a 40,000 square foot inpatient hospice facility on the property, as well as an outpatient palliative care clinic and a grief and loss support center. The space will also provide a centralized location for Avow's care teams providing home health and hospice. "This acquisition represents an important investment in the future of care for Lee County and Southwest Florida," Roa said in a press release. "Our vision is to create a place where individuals and families can access compassionate, mission-driven care and support through every stage of serious illness, caregiving, loss and grief." Established in 1983, Avow provides adult and pediatric hospice, palliative care, home health and bereavement. The nonprofit's additional recent growth included the opening of a new office location in Fort Myers, Florida. The location features staff offices, a conference space and outpatient palliative care clinic rooms. Avow Hospice is investing more than $10 million into expansion in the area, Roa stated in an announcement. The organization has hired upwards of 85 new employees to support this growth, with plans to double its staffing volumes by next year, he indicated. Lewis County Hospice's new location. New York-based Lewis County Hospice will soon open a new facility in its home state. The hospice recently purchased a building in northwest New York with plans to renovate the space into a new inpatient center. The property was previously used as a home for individuals with developmental disabilities and was vacant since the COVID-19 pandemic ended. The new hospice facility will help to improve access for individuals with more complex care needs who lack family caregiving support, according to Lewis County Manager Tim Hunt. "The place is already set up perfectly for what we're doing, so we don't expect any additional monetary needs to get it ready," Hunt told local news. "A lot of people, when they get to that stage in life and they're looking at comfort care or hospice, if they can stay in their own home, that's great, but if you don't have family here to assist, it's really difficult Lewis County Hospice provides pain, symptom and medication management, bereavement, durable medical equipment and emotional, spiritual and psychosocial support. The hospice is part of the Lewis County Health System, which opened in 1931 with the establishment of a local hospital. The rural healthcare system offers inpatient and outpatient care including hospice, home health, emergency and family medicine, among other services. The health system also has a 160-bed nursing home and three specialty care centers. Brian's House reopens. The end-of-life care facility Brian's House recently reopened after a temporary closure. Launched in 2017, Brian's House is located in Essexville, Michigan, a southwest region located near the state's Lower Peninsula area. The facility shuttered its hospice program in fall 2025 due to financial strain. The organization has since revamped its approach to sustainability, according to Jane Adams, board president at Brian's House. "Last year was a tough call to make the closing of the doors temporarily, and we always said temporarily," Adams told local news. "We are ready. This home is definitely a necessity and essential in the Bay Area region. There are only four [others] in Michigan. So, we are ready and it's a blessing, it's wonderful." Brian's House collaborated with the nonprofit Bay Area Community Foundation and the consulting firm Omni Tech International to develop a more sustainable financial outlook. The organizations joined forces to hold fundraisers, gather donations and establish a sliding scale payment model for room and board at the hospice facility. Terminally ill individuals with a life expectancy of one month or less who lack home-based support are eligible to receive care at Brian's House. The space features a kitchen, dining area, outdoor spaces and a large sunroom. The organization's staff and volunteers work closely with several local hospice providers to support patients' end-of-life needs. Companies featured in this article: Holly Vossel, senior reporter for Hospice News, is a word nerd, journalist and hunter of facts with reporting roots sprouting in 2006. She is also a family caregiver many times over, dog lover, avid reader, writer, hiker, camper, kayaker and a former competitive roller derby player. A Ravenclaw at heart, friends have described her as a mentor, spicy, fiercely loving, a Dark Lilith and a Luna Lovely, among other things. She is passionate about writing with an impactful purpose, and developed an interest in healthcare coverage in 2015.