About Elara Caring I
Hospice overview and quality summary
Elara Caring I is a for-profit hospice care provider in Des Plaines, IL, serving patients and families in Cook County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1998, Elara Caring I has provided 28 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Elara Caring I serves an average of 46 patients per day, covering 174 ZIP codes across its service area. 35% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Elara Caring I has earned a 4-star CMS quality rating based on caregiver survey results, reflecting strong satisfaction across communication, symptom management, and emotional support. The facility's Hospice Care Index score is 10 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 2 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Des Plaines, IL, consider quality ratings, caregiver satisfaction surveys, the hospice's experience with your loved one's condition, and the service area. Since hospice care is typically delivered in the home, the responsiveness and availability of the care team are critical factors.
At a Glance
Caregiver Satisfaction
CAHPS Hospice Survey results from bereaved family caregivers
Very Good
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Elara Caring I has earned a 4-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey of bereaved family caregivers. This rating reflects above-average satisfaction across emotional support, symptom management, team communication, and respect. This places Elara Caring I among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Des Plaines, IL.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
90% of caregivers gave a top rating for emotional & spiritual support, consistent with the national average of 90%.
Treated with Respect
Whether the patient was treated with dignity and respect
93% of caregivers gave Elara Caring I a top rating for treated with respect, above the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
82% of caregivers gave Elara Caring I a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
84% of caregivers gave Elara Caring I a top rating for team communication, above the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
79% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, consistent with the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
78% of caregivers gave Elara Caring I a top rating for training for family caregivers, above the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
77% of caregivers gave a top rating for overall rating (9-10), below the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
83% of caregivers gave a top rating for would recommend, consistent with the national average of 84%.
Source: CMS CAHPS Hospice Survey · Vertical markers indicate national average
Quality Process Measures
CMS hospice care quality indicators vs. national benchmarks
Treatment Preferences Documented
Patients whose treatment preferences were discussed and documented
100.0%
Natl: 99.5%
Beliefs & Values Addressed
Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
100.0%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
100.0%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
100.0%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
100.0%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
100.0%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Elara Caring I's Hospice Care Index (HCI) score is 10 out of 10, above the national average of 8.8. This composite score reflects stronger-than-average performance across measures of nursing continuity, care transitions, and presence near death.
66.3% of Elara Caring I's patients received visits from the hospice team in their final days of life, significantly above the national average of 47.9%. This is one of the most meaningful quality indicators — having the hospice team present during the final hours provides critical comfort to both patients and families.
Visits Near Death
Patients with visits in last 3 days of life
94.9%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
15.2
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
9.6%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
43.1%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
7.3%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
43.9%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
0%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
4.9%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$15,737
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Elara Caring I's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cardiovascular disease (26%), followed by other conditions (24%), cancer (19%), dementia (15%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (8%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Elara Caring I delivers 35% of its care in patients' homes, with 38% in assisted living settings, 26% in nursing facility settings. The significant proportion of facility-based care may reflect patients requiring higher levels of medical support or those without available home caregivers. The hospice serves an average of 46 patients per day.
Assisted Living
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Doctors at Elara Caring I
2 affiliated physicians
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Elara Caring I
What is the CMS rating for Elara Caring I?
Elara Caring I has a 4-star quality rating from CMS based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey of bereaved family caregivers, which evaluates satisfaction across areas including symptom management, communication, and emotional support.
What conditions does Elara Caring I primarily treat?
Elara Caring I's patient population includes cardiovascular disease (26%), other conditions (24%), cancer (19%), dementia (15%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (8%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Elara Caring I provide care?
Elara Caring I provides care in assisted living (38%), patient's home (35%), nursing facility (26%).
How large is Elara Caring I?
Elara Caring I serves an average of 46 patients per day and covers 174 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Elara Caring I?
2 physicians are affiliated with Elara Caring I.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·