Solace House: A Peaceful Sanctuary for Guests and Family

This is a noble service helping others feel significant at life’s end.—Solace House of the Ozarks trustees

By Kathleen Swift     Photo by Savanah Mandeville

Solace. It means comfort, support, relief and consolation, especially in a time of grief and stress. Trustees of the Solace House of the Ozarks chose the name carefully when developing their dream of “a home filled with loving kindness for those at life’s end and a haven of support for caregivers.”

Some people are alone, others have family members who must continue to work and others have physical limitations making them unable to provide care at home. Trustees began to research the possibilities of caring for the dying in their last month of life and discovered Clarehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which became the model for Solace House of the Ozarks in the Joplin, Missouri, area.

Solace House is currently in the planning stages, donations are being received, funds are being raised, and as the trustees noted, there are “God winks all over as we make our plans. The environment of Solace House will provide comfort and peace of mind by working in conjunction with our guest’s chosen hospice team for quality symptom management. Additionally, trained caregivers will provide 24/7 care for our guests whenever family members are absent or need assistance.

“Solace House of the Ozarks will provide a home away from home by providing a private room in a home environment with an extra bed for a family member to stay as often as they want, provide private showers for guests and families, provide meals and snacks for our guests and their families, outdoor space available to all guests and families. Thanks to the generosity of our community, our guests and families are not charged. We do not accept Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.

“Each guest must be contracted with a hospice company of their choice prior to entering Solace House of the Ozarks. Our guests will have a prognosis of 30 days or less. Services are free and paid for by donations, fundraisers, in-kind gifts, grants, memorials and endowments. Solace House of the Ozarks partners with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, follows the Donor Bill of Rights, follows the Non-profit Board of Trustees Code of Conduct and is a 501 (c) 3 pending organization. It is also part of the Omega Network of homes for those who are dying.

“It is a noble service helping others feel significant at life’s end. Our volunteers come from all walks of life. They are retired ministers, retired teachers, retired medical professionals and others from the community. We hope to start small with a three- or four-bedroom home and then grow. It is our goal to create a homelike setting. We won’t turn anyone away, but it will be on a first come, first-served basis as room is available.”

Currently, Solace House is launching a major capital campaign to begin the building process. If you would like more information or would like to visit Clarehouse, the model for Solace House, feel free to contact [email protected] or visit their Facebook page.