PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The PROBUS Club held their March 15 meeting at the Aroostook House of Comfort, which has six suites in a comfortable, homelike environment.
Rick Duncan, chairman of the AHOC board of directors, took members on a tour of the newly renovated building, which features areas providing for family visitors, such as kitchen facilities, a children’s room, living room areas and a chapel.
The Aroostook House of Comfort will serve all of Aroostook County as an inpatient and palliative care facility for terminally ill patients whose acute care at home can no longer be provided, or who do not want to spend their final days in a hospital or nursing home.
Duncan explained that hospice is a philosophy of holistic care committed to serving the physical, social and emotional needs of patients in the final stages of their lives. It is initiated at the very end of life when death is expected within six months. Palliative care relieves pain and symptoms, with the focus shifting from cure to living with a disease.
The House of Comfort’s admissions policy will provide for opportunities for terminally ill patients from every walk of life, regardless of the ability to pay, as long as they are referred by their medical professional. The care is reimbursable medical expense covered by private insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid and endowment.
Duncan said donations are the main stream of income for maintaining the much-needed facility. Gifts of cash, check, credit cards, annuities, life insurances, bequests, and memorials, are all accepted and appreciated. Pledges are more than welcome within a three to five year payment period. All donations are tax deductible.
An open house will be held in April at the facility.
In other business, the members of PROBUS voted to give a $500 scholarship this year to a student attending Northern Maine Community College.
