When is the Open House?
The Open House is on May 31, 2009. It will be held at St. Mary's. You can tour the rectory anytime between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM. There will be two showings of a PowerPoint Presentation in the church which will explain the findings of the exploratory committee. One will be at 11:45 AM and the other at 12:45 PM. There will be refreshments in Hartmann Hall.

What�s the difference between a Hospice and a Comfort Care Home?
While many people use the term �Hospice� to describe a place that provides care to the dying, legal codes distinguish between a Comfort Care Home and a Hospice. A Comfort Care Home is limited to two beds, provides comfort care in the last three months of a dying person�s life, but not medical care to revive or resuscitate. An actual hospice has more beds and services and needs to meet different codes. In legal terms, we would not be a Hospice, but a Comfort Care Home.

Where will the money come from?
When we talk about �the money,� we must clarify whether we mean the money the committee needs to determine if we should open a Comfort Care Home or the money to run a Comfort Care Home. We will call �seed money� the money the committee needs to determine the feasibility of opening a Comfort Care Home. For example, seed money is for an architectural study or consultation with a lawyer. Seed money will come from business and community donations, fund raising activities, and quarterly second collections in our four parishes. Those donations do not require ongoing commitment. Money to run the home would only be spent after the parishes agreed to open a home and would be spent on things like monthly bills. We do not yet have the information on how a monthly budget of an open house would be structured.

If we collect seed money, then decide that the Comfort Care Home cannot exist, what will happen to the seed money?
We will record the amount of money any organization, business, or parish donates. In the event that the committee recommends that the 5 Saints West should not open a Comfort Care Home, we will prorate the remaining money. We will offer to return the donation to the organization or donate it to another local Comfort Care Home in their name.

Should we put the Comfort Care Home at St. Patrick's?
An engineer has examined both St. Mary�s rectory and St. Patrick�s church. Based on his findings and recommendation, the committee is no longer considering St. Patrick as a viable option. The infrastructure of the rectory at St. Mary�s requires less renovation and is already adequate to house a two bed Comfort Care Home.

Does our area need another Comfort Care Home?
As we have investigated with professionals at Mt. Carmel House, Teresa House, and Visiting Nurse Service, they have all verified that there is a need for a Comfort Care Home in Southwest Monroe and Northeast Livingston counties.

Will we be required to provide care that conflicts with our faith?
No. The residents� individual medical provider will be responsible for providing medical treatment that is in compliance with end of life care, as if they were in their own home. We, as the comfort care home staff, will concentrate on the residents� right to die, pain-free and with dignity at our comfort care home. For further information on Catholic end of life issues, see the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website.

What if I wanted to find out what a Comfort Care Home is like? Is there a way I could volunteer?
Mt. Carmel House, 4 Planet Street, Rochester, has invited those who are interested to accompany staff and volunteers as they care for residents. If you are interested in finding our more about comfort care ministry, contact Judy at 458-6508 about setting up a time to visit.

How do we know we have enough volunteers?
Our 5 Saints West survey results included 420 people who responded favorably to the concept of a Comfort Care Home. An overwhelming majority indicated that they were willing to volunteer in some capacity. Additional volunteers from our communities are already stepping forward.

Can anyone who is not Catholic be admitted to our Comfort Care Home?
Yes. We will welcome people of all religions or with no religion at all. Along with volunteers from the Five Saints West parishes, we will encourage volunteers from other religious backgrounds. Ministers of any faith will be welcome to visit with their parishioners. Volunteers also may respond to the residents seeking spiritual guidance and comfort.

The Comfort Care Home Committee has selected a name in honor of the fifth saint of our planning group and written a mission statement for the proposed comfort care home:
Patrick Place, a comfort care home, provides love and support for the terminally ill as they live out their lives. Each family will have the freedom to spend special time with their loved one and time to talk, share and grieve with our caregivers.