A First in Mid-Hudson Valley
70% of terminally ill people die in hospitals or nursing homes. 80 to 90% would choose to die at home, surrounded by loved ones, if that were an option. Fewer than 25% actually do.
The home for the dying or comfort care model has been thriving in locations in northern New York State since 1984. Terminally ill patients and their families have found this viable end-of-life option to be a welcome alternative to nursing facilities or expensive in-home care. Jim & Lisa’s Circle Home is the first in our region to provide people in need with a real home and a circle of support.
Want to Know About Admissions?
The goal of Jim & Lisa’s Circle Home is to provide quality comfort care at the end of life by attending to each resident’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs while respecting their individuality and maintaining their dignity until death. We also extend a circle of support to residents’ family and friends.
Comfort care focuses on the alleviation of pain and symptoms; it does not cure or change the course of a terminal condition, nor does it hasten or prolong the natural dying process. Circle Home staff and trained volunteers attend to each resident just as family would attend to the needs of their own loved one. In these ways, we enable residents to live fully in each moment up to the last moment of life.
The referred person:
- Must have a diagnosis of terminal condition with no expectation of recovery and a life expectancy of three months or less, and must consent to the Circle Home Length of Stay Policy.
- Must be enrolled in Hudson Valley Hospice prior to or upon entry to Circle Home; agrees to the purpose of admission to Circle Home and the hospice plan of care, and understands their care will primarily be provided by trained volunteers.
- Does not require care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, and his/her needs can be met in a non-medical setting. Care requirements do not exceed Circle Home staff/trained volunteer capability. Alternative placement will be arranged if their needs exceed the care capacity of Circle Home.
- Will have no need for IV/subcutaneous/intramuscular medication other than IV pain medications managed by hospice staff. Circle Home also cannot admit individuals with complex medical needs, such as feeding tubes, fingerstick blood sugar checks, or difficult behaviors.
- Must have a valid Do Not Resuscitate/ Do Not Intubate order to remain in place throughout their stay. No life-sustaining measures will be implemented, allowing for a natural death.
- Does not have known active TB or COVID at admission.
- The person and their family’s or friends’ behavior does not present a danger to self or others, and would not be disruptive to others at Circle Home.
- The person and their family and friends understand that there is no charge for care at Circle Home.
- Circle Home can accommodate two residents at a time. To provide care for as many people in our community as possible, the maximum length of stay is limited to 3 months.
- Resident selection is based on the person with the greatest need and fewest options. Individuals who meet the admission criteria will be placed on a waiting list until a room is available at which time waiting list applicants will be notified and reevaluated.
- Admission to Circle Home is not determined by race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, military status, familial status, marital status, or any other protected status.
- Referrals are welcomed from area hospitals, physicians, social workers, case managers, discharge planners, clergy, friends and family members, neighbors, certified home health agencies, and patients themselves.
- To make a referral please call 845 802-0970.
- Circle Home is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization which offers its services at no cost to the Resident and their families.
- Circle Home does not receive any reimbursement from government or private medical insurance.
- All financial support comes from memorials, donations, fund-raising events, grants, and bequests.
- The continuous generosity of community members and local businesses, offering financial and in-kind donations, together with the contribution of time and skills offered by our dedicated volunteers, makes possible personalized care in a heart-centered home.
- We encourage those who benefit from Circle Home to consider the needs of our future residents and families and pay it forward. Your contributions of any size are deeply appreciated.
- Yes. Started in Rochester, this model of care continues to flourish in that region and has since spread to other areas in northern New York. There are currently about forty independent, non-profit homes in New York State, all of which are part of a nationwide movement called Omega Homes dedicated to improving the end-of-life experience for individuals and families.
Want to Know About Services, Staffing, Volunteers?
- A small professional staff is supplemented by a large pool of trained volunteers.
- In addition to providing personal care to residents, volunteers also help with cooking, light cleaning, home repairs, gardening, etc.
- Hospice services will be provided by Hudson Valley Hospice, the professional hospice provider for Ulster and Dutchess Counties.
- Services provided by Circle Home and by Hudson Valley Hospice are complementary; each provides a needed service for our residents.
- Circle Home is not a medical facility. It is simply home and family to people in need. Medical management for Circle Home residents is provided by Hudson Valley Hospice. Circle Home’s caregivers provide all the custodial care (i.e., everyday, non-medical needs) 24/7, just as would be expected of one’s personal family for individuals receiving hospice services in a private residence.
- Four-hour shifts, from 8 am to midnight, seven days a week, are generally covered by two volunteers at one time.
- In New York State, a facility with more than two beds is considered an institution rather than a residence. In terms of the quality of care provided, having fewer beds suggests the potential of a higher standard of care for residents.
- CFD envisions Jim & Lisa’s Circle Home as a model and a resource center for promoting community-based end-of-life care solutions, inter-generational volunteerism, and environmental stewardship. As an educational center for death literacy, we can promote public and professional training, community programs, and connective opportunities with other organizations in the region and beyond. An in-house library holds a wealth of literature about dying, death, and living well in full awareness of our mortality.
- Register on our Volunteer page or give us a call at 845 802-0970. All are welcome to get involved.