Boston Senior AdvisorElara Caring is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 222 Merrimac Street, 2ND Floor, Suite a in Newburyport, MA 01950. It has been certified since 2017. It cares for about 28 patients on an average day, making it a small hospice. It scores 9 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Massachusetts average is 9.2. The index flags 5 areas where it is worse than the Massachusetts average, starting with patients discharged alive after 180 days or more.
What is Elara Caring's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Elara Caring |
|---|---|
| Address | 222 Merrimac Street, 2ND Floor, Suite a, Newburyport, MA 01950 |
| Phone | (978) 358-1007 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 221602 |
| Ownership | For-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 01/17/2017 |
How does Elara Caring score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Elara Caring scores 9 out of 10 on the Hospice Care Index, which counts how many of ten visit, discharge and staffing indicators a hospice meets. Against the Massachusetts average it is better on 0 of the indicators below and worse on 5.
| Indicator | Elara Caring | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 53.7% | 52.9% | 52.4% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 8.7% | 9.4% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 41.3% | 36.4% | 37.4% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 13% | 8.3% | 8.5% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 6.5% | 2.7% | 2.1% | Worse |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 11.9 min | 14 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 10% | 8.6% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 89.3% | 93.3% | 89.3% | Worse |
Separately, 100% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Massachusetts average 95.5%) and 76.6% were visited by a nurse or social worker on at least two of their last three days (Massachusetts average 67.5%).
What do families say about Elara Caring?
82% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Elara Caring; the Massachusetts average is 85%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Elara Caring | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 72% | 81% | 82% | Worse |
| Team always provided timely help | 72% | 77% | 78% | Worse |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 88% | 91% | 91% | Worse |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 89% | 91% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 75% | 76% | 76% | About the same |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 74% | 82% | 83% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 82% | 85% | 85% | Worse |
Where does Elara Caring deliver care, and to whom?
49% of elara caring's care is delivered in a nursing facility and its largest patient group by diagnosis is other conditions (31%). It has provided levels of care beyond routine home visits, such as continuous care at home or inpatient stays, in the last three years.
| Where care is delivered | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| In a nursing facility | 49% |
| At home | 35% |
| In assisted living | 16% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Other conditions | 31% |
| Dementia | 28% |
| Cancer | 18% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 14% |
Which Boston-area ZIP codes does Elara Caring serve?
Elara Caring tells Medicare it serves 42 ZIP codes in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties.
- 01801
- 01810
- 01824
- 01830
- 01832
- 01833
- 01834
- 01835
- 01841
- 01844
- 01845
- 01850
- 01854
- 01860
- 01867
- 01876
- 01886
- 01887
- 01890
- 01906
- 01913
- 01915
- 01921
- 01922
- 01923
- 01938
- 01940
- 01950
- 01951
- 01952
- 01960
- 01969
- 01982
- 01985
- 02140
- 02148
- 02151
- 02155
- 02176
- 02453
- 02474
- 02476
What should you ask Elara Caring before choosing it?
Ask how eligibility is reviewed
41.3% of its live discharges came after six months or more of care (Massachusetts average 36.4%). Ask how often the doctor recertifies eligibility and what support is offered if a patient is discharged.
Ask how a crisis at home is handled
13% of its live discharges were followed by a hospital stay and a return to hospice (Massachusetts average 8.3%). Ask who comes to the house in a symptom crisis and how fast.
Ask how long nursing visits last
Its nurses average 11.9 minutes per routine care day, against 14 minutes across Massachusetts. Ask how long a typical visit lasts and whether the same nurse comes each time.
Ask where inpatient care happens
When symptoms cannot be managed at home, hospice provides short inpatient stays. Ask which facility they use and how far it is from the family.
Which other hospices serve Newburyport, MA?
- Constellation Hospice — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Elara Caring Medicare-certified?
Yes. Elara Caring is certified by Medicare under provider number 221602 and has been since 2017.
What is Elara Caring's Hospice Care Index score?
9 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Massachusetts average is 9.2.
How large is Elara Caring?
It cares for about 28 patients on an average day.
