Welcome to Father Hudson House, the first licensed Residential / Comprehensive Personal Care facility in the State of New Jersey,
caring for hospice patients. As an assisted living facility for individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness, Father Hudson House offers a unique alternative for those who choose not to remain in their own home.
Formerly known as Heritage Home, the facility has been
in existence as a residential property since 1939. The Center For Hope Hospice & Palliative Care
acquired and renovated it to address the growing need for residential hospice
care. The focus of service is on meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual
needs of every resident. As the resident's need for assistance with personal
care increases, additional services are made available. These services can
include assistance with activities of daily living, assistance with eating,
ambulating, etc.
Admission Information
Father Hudson House residence offers assisted living
care for individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness and deemed hospice
appropriate by their attending physician. The philosophy of hospice care
and the concept of assisted living are aligned in that they both advocate
the individual's rights for autonomy and self-directed care.
A referral for admission is followed by a physical
assessment to identify the individual's needs and develop a plan of care.
An interdisciplinary team comprised of physicians, nurses, social workers,
spiritual counselors, home health aides and volunteers cares for the individual and his or her family as one unit of care. Supervised care is provided twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week.
Admission to Father Hudson House is open to all without
regard to their geographic location. Respite care is provided and is based
upon bed availability.
Accommodations
Upon entering Father Hudson House, one is reminded
of a time of elegance gone by. The grand, circular center-hall lobby, beautifully
appointed with period furniture, affords a view of the formal dining room
and the living room. At one end of a long hallway is the first floor atrium
which leads to a shaded outdoor patio. The other end of the hallway leads
you through beautifully etched double glass doors to a non-denominational
chapel.
A recent construction project resulted in an upgraded
heating system, the non-denominational chapel, twenty-five renovated bedrooms
and bathrooms and a second floor atrium. A formal dining room serves 3 meals
a day from a fully equipped and staffed kitchen. The facility is fully
handicapped accessible and is equipped with an elevator to address the needs
of non-ambulatory residents.
Reimbursement
The Center For Hope Hospice & Palliative Care receives reimbursement
from Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurances, and many HMOs. If the resident
does not have financial resources or adequate insurance coverage, a sliding
scale method of payment for room and board will be arranged. Services are not denied due to
a resident's inability to pay. These costs are supplemented by State and
County grants, donations, memorials and fund raising efforts.
In Memory of Father Hudson
Father Hudson was honored for his service to mankind and his love for all people on January 20, 1997 at Drew University with the esteemed Martin Luther King Award, one day before his death. In his acceptance speech, Father told a story of a young boy who played a game with a small
piece of a broken mirror. The boy would catch the light and reflect it into dark places. Father Hudson referred to himself as a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape were unknown. He stated, "I am not the light but I try to reflect the light into the dark places of this world and change some things in some people. Perhaps then, others may see and do
likewise."
Father Hudson dedicated his life to shining light into
dark places and encouraging others to do the same by his example. He taught
us how to take personal experience with death and the loss of those we love
and use it to help others. He taught us to believe in ourselves and our ability
to make a difference. He taught us to search for the best in ourselves and
then to offer it in service.
Father Hudson will always be remembered for the man
he was ... but perhaps even more for the people he helped us become.
