Sarah House, a hospice in Santa Barbara, California provides end-of-life care for low income individuals. Our mission is to provide care to those in need regardless of their ability to pay. Our caregivers integrate high-quality medical care into a warm, home-like environment. At Sarah House, we meet our residents’ total pain with total love. Our caregivers work to ensure that the physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of our residents are accommodated.

As a “social model” hospice residence, we emphasize that Sarah House is a home, not a facility. We do our best to create the atmosphere and care that one would receive in the comforts of one’s own home. We believe that Sarah House is truly the home of each and every one of our residents. For many, it may be the only home they have known for a long while. For all, we hope that it is truly a place of peace and rest.

On Monday morning, I went along with the Hospice nurse over to a small room on Robbins Street, a converted garage really. “Bill White” was lying in the middle of a tiny room, lying on a mattress badly stained with sweat and urine. He had not been able to get up for three days. His face had several days’ growth of beard, full now of spittle and tobacco. Pain and suffering were everywhere on his face. I knelt down next to him and took his hand as carefully as I could. “You look really uncomfortable,” I said. “I am” he replied. “Would you come to Sarah House and let us take care of you?” He softly said, “I will.”

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