Who We Are

Pediatric palliative care is holistic, specialized care for children with life-limiting conditions. Its goal is to provide comfort, manage pain and symptoms, and improve quality of life for children whose conditions are not curable—whether or not a child is still receiving treatments. At Crescent Cove, this care extends beyond medical needs to include emotional, spiritual, and family support. We also provide respite care and walk alongside families through bereavement.

Respite care is short-term care that gives families a much-needed break from the demands of 24/7 caregiving. Many parents go months or years without a full night’s sleep. At Crescent Cove, families can rest and recharge knowing their child is being cared for in a safe, loving, home-like environment.

These terms describe medical conditions that are not curable and often shorten a child’s life. Examples include:

• Certain cancers
• Rare genetic or chromosomal disorders
• Heart or lung conditions
• Complex neurological conditions (such as cerebral palsy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Rett syndrome, spinal muscular atrophy, and others)

Each child’s journey is unique, but all share the need for comfort, dignity, and compassionate care.

Crescent Cove offers palliative and end-of-life care in a nurturing, home-like setting. Services include:

• Pain and symptom management
• Play, massage, music and pet therapy 
• Respite stays for children and families
• On-site family accommodations
• Sacred, supportive space for end-of-life care

All spaces were designed with the specific needs of these children in mind — spaces are accessible and welcoming. We work closely with each child’s primary medical team while providing a foundation of care and comfort for the whole family.

Hospitals are designed for acute care—treatments, procedures, and urgent needs. Their rooms are often small, clinical spaces created to support medical interventions. While hospitals may offer larger rooms for end-of-life care, they are usually located in busy medical settings alongside children receiving intensive treatments.

Crescent Cove was created for a different purpose: to provide space, comfort, and time. Our home has large, welcoming rooms that allow families to stay together, move freely, and focus on moments of connection. It is a place built for palliative and end-of-life care—where there is room for siblings to play, loved ones to gather, and families to simply be present with their child in a peaceful environment.

Children and young adults (newborn through age 21) with a life-limiting condition may be eligible. Each referral is reviewed by our clinical team on a case-by-case basis. Families and providers can submit a referral form online.

Ronald McDonald House provides lodging near hospitals so families can stay close while their child is receiving treatment. Children do not receive any medical care at Ronald McDonald House—it is strictly a place for families to stay.

Crescent Cove, on the other hand, is a licensed care home where children themselves receive palliative and respite care. Families stay at our Home during end-of-life care, or during certain respite stays. The heart of our mission is caring directly for children in a safe, supportive, home-like environment.

We collaborate closely with local hospitals and pediatric care teams, who often refer families to us. While hospitals provide treatments, Crescent Cove offers a supportive space for respite or end-of-life care. Hospitals do not have a financial stake in our home.

All Crescent Cove services are provided to families at no out-of-pocket cost to them. We are primarily supported by the generosity of our community who donates to make our care possible. In 2021 we became eligible for Medicaid reimbursement from families’ Medicaid waiver funds where one was in place, and in 2024 we became eligible to receive payment from the State of Minnesota for end-of-life care for families on Medical Assistance. As of this writing these payments comprised 25% of our funding.