Greece home has been providing end-of-life and support to the dying and their families
Sixteen years ago this month, the doors to an unassuming ranch home at the corner of Long Pond Road and Vintage Lane in Greece opened for the sole purpose of providing a home-like setting for the dying and their families. Journey Home was, in fact, the dying wish of Jeanie Premo, who at age 58 passed away from ovarian cancer. “She believed everyone should be able to go home to die,” said her daughter, Tracey Jagla, RN, BSN, who made her mom’s wish a reality and now serves as director.
Before her mother passed, Jagla already had a board of directors assembled and was forging ahead. “My mom was an empowering person who raised three successful and caring children on her own,” said Jagla. Those qualities, paired with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, equipped Jagla to handle the challenges of opening one of the area’s first privately-incorporated homes for end-of-life care.
“It’s taken a village and we’ve had the same group of people with us from the beginning,” Jagla said. That has included the Perotto family, owners of Bartolomeo and Perotto Funeral Home next door. They donated the building to Journey Home and rent back the property where it’s located. Rochester labor unions worked pro bono to renovate the inside of the home and the supplies were donated. Even Jagla’s husband, John, and children, Terese and Jeremy, volunteered their time.
What resulted were two private suites with a common kitchen, office space and meeting area. Journey Home has no resemblance to a medical facility on the interior or exterior. “We have to remind people that we’re here,” explained Jagla. What appears to be a ranch-style home from the outside is just that on the inside – a comfortable, normal home.
Residents are referred to Journey Home by one of two certified hospice agencies – Visiting Nurse Hospice or Lifetime Care Hospice. The prospective resident must have a terminal illness with a prognosis of three months or less. “We serve all faiths and cultures, poor or rich, and have cared for residents as young as 28 all the way up to 101,” said Jagla. Since opening in May 1999, Journey Home has provided end-of-life care to 411 individuals, and while they are not affiliated with any one religion, Jagla says they are a faith-based organization. “I believe that in order to do this type of work, you have to believe that there is something more than a black hole after death,” she said.
Journey Home is staffed by volunteers, many of whom came back to volunteer after their loved one died there. Anita Roach, who is now president of the Board of Directors and has volunteered for many years, first became associated with Journey Home in 2001 when her sister Mary lived there for eight days. “It was the best thing for her and for us as a family,” she said. “We could be a family again and not just caregivers.”
Seven per diem nurses oversee the care, teaching and supporting the volunteers, but the volunteers provide the care, addressing the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the resident in a holistic manner as they go through the dying process. “Our volunteers are the hearts and hands of the dying person,” said Jagla.
Residents receive the care free of charge because the majority of the care is provided by volunteers. The organization does not receive any third party insurance, rather is exists thanks to donations that come in many forms, such as memorials, United Way, matching gifts, mission programs, estate planning, endowment funds, and various fundraisers. The Journey Home 20th Annual Golf Classic is one of the largest fundraisers and this year will be held Monday, August 10 at Ridgemont Country Club. More information is available at journeyhomegreece.org.
Journey Home is now one of several west side hospice providers meeting the needs of families who cannot provide around the clock care for their dying loved one. Aurora House, located at 2495 South Union Street in Spencerport, was founded by Sandie Ville and incorporated in March 2007 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. Built by the community for the community, Aurora House opened its doors on September 22, 2010.
Hospice of Orleans, Inc. on Route 31 West in Albion, offers the Martin-Linsin Residence, an 8,500 square foot facility featuring eight residential patient suites. Open since December 2012, the residence was made possible by benefactor Bruce Martin. Hospice of Orleans also offers caregiver support, bereavement services and palliative care.
“The hospices in the area share their knowledge and network because we all have the same mission and goals,” said Jagla.
As a volunteer, Roach sees that those goals are carried out. “I feel peace the minute I walk in the door,” she described. “It’s not a sad place. We have sad times, but you can’t go there and interact with people without feeling uplifted. It’s the best part of my week.”
