What hospice care is in Illinois
Hospice care is comfort-focused care for patients with a serious illness and a prognosis of six months or less. Instead of curative treatment, the team focuses on managing pain, controlling symptoms, supporting the family, and letting the patient spend their final months at home or in a residential hospice setting.
An Illinois hospice aide visits patients 2–5 times a week — bathing, repositioning, toileting, skin care, vital signs, and the human presence families remember most. An RN case manager writes the plan of care, a hospice physician supervises, and a medical social worker and chaplain complete the interdisciplinary team. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulates aide credentials.
Illinois has a mature hospice market dominated by non-profit organizations. JourneyCare (one of the largest non-profits in the Midwest), Seasons Hospice, Northwestern Memorial’s hospice program, Rush, NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst, and many smaller faith-based hospices serve every region. Demand for aides is steady in Chicago and the collar counties, plus stable downstate markets (Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Champaign, Rockford).
How much hospice caregivers earn in Illinois
BLS data lists the Illinois median for Home Health and Personal Care Aides around $16–$16.50/hr, with the 75th percentile near $18/hr. Hospice aides earn $1–$3/hr above that baseline because Medicare’s per-diem reimbursement allows agencies to pay competitively.
Expect $17–$22/hr for HHAs in hospice roles in Chicago, Naperville, Schaumburg, and the collar counties (DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane). $15–$19/hr in downstate Illinois (Springfield, Peoria, Champaign). Hospice CNAs typically earn $20–$26/hr in Chicago; senior CHPNA-certified aides at top non-profits can reach $25–$29/hr.
Illinois state minimum wage ($15/hr) provides a strong floor. Chicago’s minimum is higher (currently $16.20/hr). Most hospices add an evening differential ($1–$2/hr), a weekend differential ($2–$3/hr), and pay Continuous Care shifts (long bedside vigils when a patient is actively dying) at time-and-a-half or a $25–$35/hr flat premium.
Per-visit pay is offered by some Illinois hospices: $30–$45 per aide visit plus mileage reimbursement at the IRS rate. Per-visit works best in dense suburban territories; hourly is generally better for downstate rural assignments with long drives.
Typical hourly pay in Illinois: $17–$22/hr (HHA) · $20–$26/hr (hospice CNA)
Who pays for hospice care in Illinois
Hospice in Illinois is funded almost entirely through Medicare, with Illinois Medicaid, the VA, and commercial insurance filling out the rest. The state’s mature non-profit hospice sector also provides meaningful charity care.
What a hospice aide does day to day
An Illinois hospice aide typically carries 12–16 patients with 5–8 home visits per day, 45–60 minutes each, plus documentation between visits.
- Bathing, oral care, hair and nail care, and skin assessment
- Repositioning bed-bound patients every two hours to prevent pressure injuries
- Toileting, incontinence care, and changing soiled bedding
- Vital signs (T, P, R, BP) per the plan of care
- Monitoring pain, restlessness, breathing changes, and signs of active dying
- Light meal prep and feeding assistance for patients still eating
- Emotional presence — sitting, listening, supporting family
- Documenting every visit in the agency EMR (tablet point-of-care)
- Calling the on-call RN immediately for actively dying patients or uncontrolled symptoms
- Post-mortem care after death — washing, positioning, and dressing the body before the funeral home arrives
Certifications and training to become a hospice aide in Illinois
Illinois hospice aides must meet the federal Medicare HHA training standard. IDPH oversees the CNA credential, which is the most common pathway because Illinois CNAs are listed on the Health Care Worker Registry.
Family member needs care? You may be able to be paid.
Illinois has several Medicaid and VA programs that let family members get paid to provide care at home — including hospice care. See the full state guide:
Read the Illinois caregiver pay guide →FAQs about hospice caregiver jobs in Illinois
Is hospice work emotionally hard?
Yes — you will be present at many deaths, typically 2–4 per month. Illinois hospices (especially the large non-profits like JourneyCare and Seasons) generally offer monthly bereavement debriefs, paid mental-health days, and access to the chaplain or social worker for staff support. Most aides who stay past the first six months describe the work as deeply meaningful.
What is the difference between hospice and home health?
Home health is short-term, recovery-focused care — wound care, PT, post-op monitoring. Hospice is end-of-life comfort care for patients not expected to recover. Both require the federal HHA training in Illinois, but hospice visits are longer (45–60 min) and more relational.
Can a family member be paid as a hospice aide?
Not directly through Medicare. But a family member can be paid separately for non-medical personal care through the Illinois Community Care Program (CCP) or the Persons with Disabilities Waiver while the hospice agency provides the medical visits on top.
How long do hospice patients usually have left?
Illinois hospice patients have a median length of stay around 18–20 days; mean is roughly 90 days because some patients stabilize and stay on service for many months. You will see a mix of patients in their final week and patients you visit for several months.
Do I need my own car?
Yes, for nearly every Illinois hospice job outside the densest parts of Chicago. You are driving to 5–8 homes per day. Mileage is reimbursed at the IRS rate (currently 67¢/mile). Some inner-Chicago routes (Loop, North Side, Hyde Park) can be done by transit.
What happens when a patient dies on my shift?
You call the on-call RN. The RN comes to pronounce death, contacts the funeral home and physician. You perform post-mortem care: wash, remove medical devices, position, and dress the body before the funeral home arrives. Illinois hospices pay your full scheduled visit even if the patient dies in the first 15 minutes.
Is hospice aide work full-time or part-time?
Both. Full-time IL hospice aides carry 12–16 patients with 5–8 visits/day. Per-diem (PRN) aides cover vacations and call-outs. Weekend-only roles are widely available at a $2–$3/hr premium.