Hospice House

Why a Hospice House

The term hospice was first used to describe caring for terminally ill patients in France in the mid to late 1800s. From then until the early 1970s, hospice care was most often delivered in specially designated homes that served the entire community. In 1948, Dame Cicely Saunders treated cancer patient David Tasma in her own home when Tasma found himself alone and without a caregiver. Inspired by his response to this holistic, home-based approach, Saunders opened the first inpatient hospice house in England in 1967. As the acknowledged founder of the modern hospice care movement, she felt strongly there should be another place available for people when they are dying.

Today, medical advances have made it possible for people to receive specialized hospice care in their own homes, and that’s usually where people want to be, but there are times when a Hospice House is needed.

  • When a patient’s pain and symptoms cannot be controlled in their home. A Hospice House provides a state-of-the-art medical facility with round-the-clock medical care that’s specially designed to meet the needs of people who are dying. This is a serene, home-like environment designed with the patient and his/her family in mind—large private bedrooms, shared kitchens and living room spaces, dining room, library, chapel and more.
  • When the patient’s primary caregiver, who is often a family member, has reached exhaustion and needs a break from caregiving responsibilities. In this situation, a Hospice House would be a place of respite.

Who We Are

Hospice of the Red River Valley is an independent, community-based nonprofit organization that has served patients and families in our region for 40 years. The organization covers more than 44,000 square miles across more than 50 counties, with offices located in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Valley City, N.D., and Detroit Lakes, Thief River Falls and Fergus Falls, Minn. 

Everyone deserves quality of life, from the moment they are born through their last days. Hospice of the Red River Valley is committed to providing a meaningful end-of-life experience to our community’s loved ones—now and into the future.

Hospice of the Red River Valley serves anyone who meets the medical guidelines for care. No one is turned away regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay. The organization also provides comprehensive grief support services to anyone in the community, free of charge. Professional staff help patients meet their end-of-life goals and provide extensive support for their loved ones and caregivers.

As the longest-standing hospice organization in the state of North Dakota, Hospice of the Red River Valley has the background, staff experience and reputation to meet the end-of-life care needs of our community.

Ground Breaking

Watch the full ceremony here:

May 26, 2022