AMES, Iowa — Mary Greeley Medical Center announced on Thursday that it will be closing the Israel Family Hospice House at the end of the year.

The hospice house has been providing end-of-life care to patients since 1999. In a statement posted on the medical center’s website, the decision to close the house was made due to the decline in patients being served at the home. According to the medical center, the home contains 10 patient rooms, but on average only about four to five patients are at the home at a time. In the past, the medical center said there have been times when there were no patients in the home.

The medical center also cited financial strain as another factor for the closure, as the house has reportedly operated at a loss for several years and has been subsidized from the Mary Greeley Foundation to remain in operation, which the medical center says is unsustainable.

The Israel Family Hospice House is one part of the medical center’s whole Hospice Program. According to the medical center, the closure of the house will not affect the Mary Greeley Home Hospice program, which services six counties in central Iowa.

The medical center’s Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the closure during their meeting on October 28. If approved, the Israel Family Hospice House will close on December 31, 2025.

To learn more about the closure and the other hospice services provided by Mary Greeley visit the medical center’s website.