The Hospice Buffalo House at the Mitchell Campus is the first hospice residential setting of its kind in Western New York. The newly renovated Hospice House is a place of comfort and security for patients in the final months or weeks of life. Located at 225 Como Park Boulevard in Cheektowaga, the 8-bed Hospice House provides a serene home-like environment for hospice patients who do not have a caregiver or whose family is unable to care for them at home.

"The Hospice House is a new level of care for Hospice-eligible patients. It offers a more affordable option for patients than traditional settings," explained James A. Walsh, Ph.D., vice president of the Hospice House. The 10,000 square foot residence features unique amenities specific to the needs of hospice patients.

The new Hospice House includes rooms with cathedral ceilings, a large kitchen with dining area where family members may cook special meals and dine together, two spacious family lounges with a library and children's activities, a large living room complete with French doors which lead to a patio, and a beautiful walkway surrounding wooded grounds. In addition, the Hospice House has two visitor rooms for overnight stays, a laundry area and an adjacent chapel.

Registered nurses and nurses aides will provide around-the-clock care to Hospice House residents. On-site access to a hospice physician is available for each resident's medical care. The Hospice Buffalo Home Care team comprised of a registered nurse, medical social worker, pastoral care chaplain, trained volunteers, bereavement counselors and consultant therapists is also available on-call to assist specific resident needs at the Hospice House.

Hospice Buffalo Continuum Of Care

• Homes
• Palliative Care/Hospice Beds in Hospitals
• Hospice Nursing Home Services in area adult homes and nursing facilities
• Mary & Ralph Wilson, Jr. Hospice Inpatient Unit at the Mitchell Campus for short-term pain/symptom management, respite and end-stage care
• Hospice Buffalo House at the Mitchell Campus for hospice-eligible patients needing 24-hour nursing care during the final months or weeks of life

Services Offered at the Hospice Buffalo House

• Excellent bedside nursing
• 24-hour staffing
• 8 comfortable, private rooms, each with its own bathroom, telephone, and sofa chair that converts into a bed
• On-site access to a Hospice Buffalo Staff Physician
• Full range of hospice personnel on call, including registered nurses, medical social workers, pastoral care chaplains, bereavement counselors and trained volunteers
• Garden of Meditation and Reflection and adjacent chapel
• Two visitor rooms for overnight stays
• Two family lounges complete with TV/VCR and well-stocked library
• Outside patio
• Dining room and meal service
• Housekeeping

What are the requirements for admission to the Hospice House?

Any Hospice-eligible patient who is in need of 24-hour nursing care during the final months or weeks of life is eligible for admission.

Hospice House admission is appropriate when:

• A patient lives alone and is no longer able to feed or dress themselves
• A patient has a caregiver that is physically or economically unable to provide care at home
• A patient lives in unstable or unsafe home
• A patient does not have adequate family support
• A patient must relocate from areas outside of Erie County to be closer to family members

Hospice House will accept patients regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, creed, marital status or sexual preference.

What payment options are available for Hospice House care?

There are several payment options available for Hospice House residents.

• Medicaid
• Private Pay
• Check with your insurance provider for possible coverage

The Medicare Hospice Benefit will cover hospice services, but not room and board. Residential care patients are billed room and board fees that insurance does not cover.

For more information or to schedule a private tour, please call (716) 686-8383.