Over the past couple of months, we’ve had conversations with three other creative alternatives to end-of-life care here in the Asheville area. Each is unique and seeks to address particular shortcomings experienced by many within the current healthcare system. We’re excited by the different approaches and want to share these with you. In the interest of establishing a template and starting point, the summary for Holding Space comes first.
 

Summary: Holding Space for Living and Dying was established in 2019 as a grassroots model for shared housing in support of housemates at the end of life, piloted in our own private residence. Shared housing addresses the high cost of current residential care models and the risk of isolation and burnout of being a sole or primary caregiver at home. Our model offers an extra layer of physical and psychosocial support through living with housemates who are knowledgeable and willing to help with light care such as transfers or physical assistance, sitting while caregivers run errands or take breaks, sharing meals, inclusion in household trips and activities, or having a friend to unwind with at the end of the day. Housemates are involved in day-to-day activities and community building events like the monthly third Wednesday potluck. As a nonprofit 501c3, we are able to solicit for donations if needed. As a part of a growing constellation of local and regional organizations addressing end of life needs, Holding Space opens its community space for workshops and meetings related to end-of-life planning and care.

Criteria: 

• Terminal diagnosis with plan for Hospice enrollment 
• Accompanied by live-in caregiver(s)
• Healthcare Power of Attorney, Next-of-Kin, and Surrogate Decision-maker established in writing
• Advance Directives, 5 Wishes, and/or End-of-Life documentation complete

Services Offered: 

• Private room(s) in a shared household with housemates who are knowledgeable and supportive of someone at the end of life

Setting: Urban, private home

Cost: Room Rental ($500/mo + utility split); Housing Choice Voucher (formerly known as Section 8 ) eligible

Stage of development: Open

Website/info: holdingspaceasheville.org

Social handles: 
Facebook: @holdingspaceasheville
Instagram: @holdingspaceasheville

To get involved:  https://holdingspaceasheville.org/index.php/get-involved

Join mailing list:  https://holdingspaceasheville.org/index.php/newsletter-archive

Summary:  

           We at the Center for Conscious Living & Dying (CCLD) help you and your loved ones honor life’s final stages while enriching lives by providing direct care, community education, and resources.

CCLD is a new organization working to reclaim, practice, and share a timeless wisdom: community support in end-of-life transitions. CCLD offers a comfort care home for end-of-life care for those who are unable to or do not wish to die in their own homes. We provide compassionate care in a peaceful, dignified, non-medicalized, home-like environment, focused solely on the dying individual’s unique needs.  A team comprising family members and volunteers, in collaboration with existing hospice programs, offer direct care to each individual. Our holistic model complements and enhances medical hospice care, filling caregiving gaps without duplicating services. All caregiving takes place in a “home,” at no charge, for those served by CCLD members. Donate here!

Criteria:

• Referrals accepted from: individuals, family members, hospice staff, doctors, and hospitals
• An individual must be enrolled in hospice services and have a prognosis of two months or less.
• An individual’s choice to become a resident is voluntary and there is no obligation to stay.

Services Offered:

• Direct “in-home” care. We offer nourishing, end-of-life care that augments hospice services in a home-like setting.
• Education. CCLD offers workshops, trainings, and retreats for those seeking support to bring death awareness into their lives and to live with authenticity and presence.
• Resources. CCLD curates resources to support you and your loved ones as you make important decisions during end-of-life planning.

Setting:  An Omega Home Network model home. The rural home is located in Swannanoa, NC near Warren Wilson College.

Cost: No charge

Stage of development: Early. Launch March 2023.

Website/info: https://www.ccld.community/

Social handles: 
Facebook: @ccld.community
Instagram: @ccld.community

To get involved:  https://www.ccld.community/volunteer

Summary: Elderflower Care Community is a Holistic and Integrative long-term care community for elders. A farm setting, intergenerational programming, excellent nutrition, organic food and mindfulness exercises will keep the mind, body and spirit of residents enriched and thriving. Growing and being active with plants and animals on the farm will give purpose and meaning to their lives. And end of life sacred services will honor and cherish their lives and bring peace, love and joy until their final moments. Elderflower group home will be a small-scale setting with high-quality care that will feel like home and family for residents and caregivers alike.

Criteria: 

• Persons over age 65 who need assistance with activities of daily living
• Individuals with cognitive impairment requiring memory care services

Services Offered: 

• Safe and secure housing
• Meals
• Transportation
• Personal Care
• Activities
• Exercise and enrichment
• Home health nursing is available and provided by a separate licensed agency

Setting: 

Group home of about 7 residents on a farm/homestead setting

Cost: $7000 per month, spouses/family members room and board: $2000/month. Once established as a Nonprofit 501(c)(3), money raised will be used to reduce costs and offer scholarships or sliding scale.

Stage of development: Start-up, fundraising stages

Website/info: www.mightycause.com/story/elderflower

Social handles:
Facebook: Elderflower Care Community
Instagram: Elderflower Care Community
To get involved: Contact Annie: annie@anniespindler.com 708-691-3253

Summary:   Over the next years, there will be twice as many of elderly Americans as there are now. This has already begun to overwhelm care systems, which will only worsen. Millions of those seniors have no children or younger family available to care for them. Among them are 5 million LGBTQ seniors, and 28 million others without offspring to be caregivers or heritors. 

Younger generations face a different challenge. Downwardly mobile, they won’t do as well as their parents did, are far less able to afford a house or achieve financial security. In a perfect storm of economic stress they face lower wages, unaffordable housing, huge student debt, disrupted earnings. Yet they are able-bodied, willing and able to offer affirming care and, seek meaningful career paths. 

Each generation needs what the other has: seniors need affirming safe care safe at home, without having to enter an institution; younger generations need the housing and resources seniors may have. Both generations seek community, meaningful, sustaining intergenerational bonds.

The Stonewall Bridge  is an innovative model for community-based intergenerational care. We support seniors to age safely at home, among friends, in the company of younger chosen-family Sharegivers; extend care resources to neighborhoods and ensures resource for the generations to follow. Its unprecedented synergy, does what multigenerational families have always done: ensure a safe, fulfilling, supportive old age for elders and support the generations to follow. Designed for 21st-century needs and realities, Stonewall Bridge ensures the old age we want and provides legacy to who help ensure it.  

Criteria: Seniors seeking to age at home, who need help with tasks, household assistance, errands, health maintenance or personal care, willing to share living space, and bequeath assets to caregivers through a trusted non-profit oversight program. 

Sharegivers Adults interested to live with and care for seniors, provide help with tasks, household assistance, errands, health maintenance or personal care for an increasing equity in the senior’s estate. 

Services Offered:  

• Help with errands
• Assistive and supportive tasks
• Escort to care, shopping
• Household-supportive and maintenance help 
• Care management and coordination
• Personal care
• LGBTQ-affirming services

Setting:  Urban, suburban or rural. Private homes, neighborhood settings

Cost:   Individually determined depending on need and involvement 

Stage of development: Pilot stage 

Website/info: https://www.stonewallcdc.org/the-stonewall-bridge

Social handles:   

https://www.facebook.com/Stonewallcdc 

https://twitter.com/Stonewall_CDC

https://www.instagram.com/stonewallcdc/

To get involved:  To assess your needs and interest, take our survey.

Join mailing list:  https://www.stonewallcdc.org