By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Plans to construct Aroostook County’s first freestanding hospice house are moving forward.
According to Rick Duncan, president of the Aroostook House of Comfort board of directors, a five-acre parcel of land on U.S. Route 1 between Presque Isle and Caribou has been obtained and will be the site of the state-of-the-art center.
“The land, which was generously donated by the Irving family and Cavendish Farms Operations, Inc.,” said Duncan, “is located at 255 Caribou Road in Presque Isle.
“Cavendish Farms has a benevolence officer in their corporation, and we approached them,” he said. “He came and interviewed us as to our need and what we were looking to do with the property, and through the conversations they decided that they would donate the land to us.”
The land was officially deeded over to the corporation March 1.
“It’s a spot that’s in central Aroostook, accessible and highly visible,” said Duncan. “It’s a great location.”
The Aroostook House of Comfort will be a six-bed, 8,600-square-foot facility that will provide quality, compassionate end-of-life care for patients and their families in a peaceful, comfortable, home-like environment. Long-range plans call for an additional 3 to 6-bed expansion.
Each of the six private patient rooms will have handicapped accessible kitchenettes and bathrooms, and access to private, outdoor garden spaces. In addition, patients will have access from each room to a living room and kitchen area, providing families with a comfortable place to relax. The facility will also include a chapel and meeting rooms, as well as a spa room complete with whirlpool bath, hair and massage services.
Family and friends will be provided with sleeping accommodations within their loved one’s suite, a common room with a fireplace and library, a dining area with kitchen, children’s play room, a private family meeting room and landscaped gardens and trails.
“By building a new hospice house, we are expanding on the inspiring work being done by in-home hospice providers,” said Duncan. “Every day, hospice touches people’s lives. It brings a celebration of life to those who are dying and comfort, solace and guidance to their family and friends.
“By offering a home-like environment that provides 24-hour compassionate care, the hospice house will further elevate this work,” he said. “Ultimately, it will elevate all of us by reinforcing our most fundamental and meaningful values.”
Construction costs are estimated at $1.6 million.
“Furnishings and equipment will be about $225,000, while site work and design is another $330,000,” said Duncan. “We also hope to begin an endowment fund that would be about $100,000. One of our policies is that people aren’t there based on their level of income. We don’t want to turn anyone away because they can’t afford to be there, so additional funds are going to be raised so that those folks will be able to have access to the facility, as well.”
CCS, a New York company, has been hired to develop a capital campaign, which Duncan said will likely be launched in the next few months.
“Through a major capital campaign, we are committed to raising a minimum of $2.54 million to build and support a permanent home which will serve an estimated 40 to 60 hospice patients in need of comprehensive care annually,” said Duncan. “It’s a lot of money to raise, but it’s definitely for a worthwhile project.
“The capital campaign is the next big step because there’s a lot of groundwork that has to be done. The last couple of months we’ve had some real knowledgeable people come on board with this project. We’ve made more advances in the last few months than we’ve made in the last year or so because of those people and their input,” he said. “I’m excited we’re at this point already. When I talk with other organizations that have done this type of project, they’re always amazed at how fast we’ve progressed and how much we’ve gotten done. That speaks well of the project.”
Officials anticipate breaking ground on the project next spring. The Aroostook House of Comfort should be completed in the spring of 2015.
Anyone wishing to donate can make checks payable to Aroostook House of Comfort and mail to P.O. Box 766, Presque Isle, Maine 04769.
For more information, log onto www.aroostookhospicehouse
.com.
