Hospice House of Mercy celebrates 5th anniversary

The Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy has been serving serving patients and their families with end-of-life care for five years. The Hospice House is marking this milestone with a public open house on Wed., May 23, from 4 to 6 p.m.  The Hospice House is located at 315 18th Ave., Hiawatha.   

The Hospice House of Mercy provides 24-hour nursing care for each patient, serving people of all ages from all walks of life – including the homeless.

Since opening in May 2007, more than 1,100 patients have been directly served. As the only hospice house in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor, its outreach is extensive. The next closest hospice house is in Waterloo.

The goal of the Hospice House is to provide a variety of services so patients can spend their final days in a caring, nurturing environment, surrounded by family members and caregivers who are both competent and compassionate. The 22,000-square foot facility has 12 patient rooms with hospital-standard medical resources and accommodations for children, families and meal preparation. The average daily census is nine patients. Each patient room has access to a private outdoor patio. Walking paths, a garden, a chapel/meditation room for all faiths and a library enrich the homelike atmosphere.

It was hospice volunteers who gathered more than 3,500 signatures to raise awareness of the need for a hospice house in the Cedar Rapids area. Donna Oldorf’s generous lead gift of $1.1 million in memory of her husband, Denny, who was a Hospice of Mercy patient, enabled the construction of the Hospice House. More than 2,000 community-wide donors also contributed and the Hall-Perrine Foundation provided $1.7 million.

For more information, call (319) 398-6496.