Hospitality houses offer convenience for patients' loved ones

SYCAMORE - Mary Lou Eubanks purchased on Tuesday the home where she intends to open a hospitality house for relatives of Kindred Hospital patients. Her next step is gaining the city's approval of the location. She asked for the city's direction on whether it would permit such a house when she went before the Sycamore Plan Commission in early October. Commission members seemed interested in the idea of providing temporary housing for people who might have to travel hours to visit relatives at Kindred Hospital, which treats patients with illnesses that require the use of ventilators. The Edward Street hospital is across the street from its parking lot and the adjoining 719 Somonauk St. home that Eubanks hopes becomes the hospitality house. "In terms of location, you couldn't find a better spot," she said. Since October, both the plan commission and city council have approved adding wording to city law that would allow a hospitality house, but the city has not yet approved the home's location. Plan commission members and city officials will discuss the home's location during a public hearing Dec. 13 at the Sycamore Center, and the city council likely will vote on the home's location Dec. 20, Eubanks said. "If all goes well, on Dec. 21 or soon after, we'll have electricians in the house," she said. She is aiming to open the house March 1 or sooner if the necessary work on the home is complete. Workers will add interconnected fire alarms to each room and floor, emergency lighting signs with backup battery powering, drywall in the garage and a sprinkler in the furnace room. If the city doesn't approve of the Somonauk Street location, "I guess I'll sell the house," Eubanks said. She became acquainted with hospitality houses when her daughter had to receive medical treatments at a facility far from home. To be near her daughter, Eubanks lived in a Ronald McDonald House for six weeks. The first hospitality house in the world opened in 1972 in Buffalo, N.Y., according to the National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses. It inspired the opening of the first Ronald McDonald House in 1974. The idea of hospitality houses quickly spread across the nation, Canada, Europe, Australia and other areas. Compared to hotel stays, rooms in such homes are inexpensive, costing between $5 and $25 a night. Hospitality houses are located near the hospital or facility they serve and allow family members of different patients to encourage and relate to one another. Being near people going through similar situations helps families "gain perspective," said Peggy Murphy, the executive director of Family Home Inc. in Peoria. "When they are going through such a stressful time, they have little to do but worry," she said. Having common areas for guests to gather allows them to make friends and learn they are not alone in their situations, she said: "It helps them feel more secure in a strange town." When Eubanks' sister-in-law was being treated at the facility, Eubanks learned that family members of Kindred patients had a similar need for nearby, inexpensive housing. At the time, Eubanks dreamed of creating a hospitality house in the area where families could receive not only shelter but also comfort. The dream started to become a reality after her father died and left her some money. "I decided to spend it on something that would help people," she said. Kindred has promised money to the house, and Eubanks also plans to seek funding from grants, churches, service organizations and families of former Kindred patients. The home also will collect a not-yet-determined fee from guests, Eubanks said. "I would like to charge nothing, but that's not financially possible," she said. Additionally, fees make guests respect the home more because they have invested money in it, and they won't feel like they are being given charity, Eubanks said. After the house opens, Eubanks will work as an unpaid executive director and lead the home's volunteers, who will check in visitors, clean and maintain the home, help visitors feel more at home and tell them the rules. No smoking or drinking on the premises, no leaving children unsupervised and obeying designated quiet hours are among the regulations the home will instate. Murphy said staff should be prepared to take action if guests break rules, and what actions to take should be clearly defined. But problems in hospitality houses rarely occur, according to Murphy and Doreen Longanecker, housing coordinator at Rockford Memorial Hospital Guest Center. The 14-room facility has encountered only a few problems with guests breaking rules, such as by smoking or drinking in the house, since it opened in the mid-1980s, Longanecker said. "Normally, it's a good group," she said. Eubanks expects few problems because "people in that situation are so grateful for the help," and Kindred staff will screen families before referring them to the home. The next few months will be busy ones for her, she said, as she encourages the city to approve the home's location, prepares the home, trains volunteers, seeks donations and welcomes the first guests. Murphy said Tuesday that she is excited to hear about this home likely coming to Sycamore. "These homes are very much in need," she said. "I hear every day that people are thankful the community was willing to support the home even though most community members might never use it. The people visiting loved ones in the Sycamore hospital will really appreciate the community for doing this." Renee Messacar can be reached at rmessacar@pulitzer.net.