A novel California-based hospice facility serving homeless populations has opened as new home-based and inpatient programs take flight across the country, including Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

YoloCares Opens Joshua House for Homeless Hospice Populations

The California-based hospice provider YoloCares has opened Joshua’s House, a new facility that will provide end-of-life care to unhoused, under-housed and homeless populations.

Branded as Joshua’s House, the nonprofit is located in Sacramento, California, and aims to reach communities across the West Coast. The hospice provider has seen rates of homelessness rise by nearly 14% since 2019 across its service region, the organization recently reported.

The new program is the first homeless hospice facility to launch in the area.

“The site is really going to operate more as a shelter,” YoloCares CEO Craig Dresang previously told Hospice News. “Theoretically any hospice provider could refer a patient there. We’re running it as a housing or shelter site for terminally ill and unhoused individuals. There are a lot of people who die on the streets every month.”

The new 15-bed residential hospice shelter spans a 1.2-acre area and features six three-bedroom homes for terminally ill homeless individuals in need of food, clothing, shelter and end-of-life care. Joshua’s House anticipates opening three more homes in the future, Dresang previously told Hospice News.

More than $3.5 million was raised to support the initiative through philanthropic donations and local city and county grants, according to local news. Funding for the project was approved by local board officials in Sacramento County, California.

The project began when community leader and advocate Marlene von Friederichs-Fitzwater’s unhoused grandson Josh died from an overdose on the streets of Omaha, Nebraska. Fitzwater was instrumental in securing funds and negotiating the terms of a financially affordable 50-year renewable lease with local city officials, according to Dresang.

Placing unhoused patients is “no small feat,” YoloCares stated on its website. Hospice staff routinely spend several hours each day fielding facility-based referrals and trying to find placement for unhoused individuals. With the new facility, hospice care can be provided in an environment that is
safe and comfortable,” the organization said.

Providing compassionate, person-centered care is a main objective of the new facility ,said Adi “Dee” Rasilau, manager of Joshua’s House.

“Joshua’s House is an opportunity to be part of something transformational,” Rasilau said in a statement previously shared with Hospice News. “It’s more than just a care facility; it’s a sanctuary for those who need it most. I’m motivated by the chance to make a real, lasting difference in the lives of those who have been marginalized and overlooked.”

Pikes Peak Launches New Inpatient Facility

Colorado-based Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care has opened a new inpatient care facility in its home state.

The de novo is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and held its grand opening in May. The facility is the first of its kind in the area.

The new inpatient hospice center features private patient rooms, outdoor gardens, a chapel, veteran support spaces, and family-style gathering areas.

“This facility really does meet a need that is not met any other way,” Pikes Peak President Dawn Darvalics said in a social media post.

The center’s opening comes after reaching a $2.5 million threshold set by a capital campaign from Pikes Peak Hospice Foundation. The foundation has set a $8.5 million goal to fund the center’s operations and sustainability.

The new facility allows Pikes Peak to expand its facility-based capacity from eight to 12 patient rooms.

The inpatient center has a kitchen and family dining room, a children’s play area, places for quiet contemplation and an art walk with original pieces by local artists. The facility also features a palliative care exam room and conference meeting rooms.

Pikes Peak began providing general inpatient hospice care at Penrose Hospital in 1982. The hospice and palliative care provider serves three counties across Colorado. The hospice served roughly 1,782 patients in 2023, with 473 of these individuals receiving inpatient-based services. That same year Pikes Peak also served more than 1,000 families and caregivers through its Center for Grief & Loss.

Three Oaks Hospice Expands in Texas

Dallas-based Three Oaks Hospice recently expanded its geographic footprint with a new facility in its home state.

The new location in central Texas opened this month. Through the facility, the company now offers home hospice care in Georgetown, Texas.

“Excited to open our doors in Georgetown, Texas!,” Three Oaks Hospice stated in a social media post. “We’re dedicated to ensuring that every patient and caregiver receives the support they deserve, focusing on comfort and quality of life.”

Private equity-backed Three Oaks Hospice launched in May 2019 and jumped quickly into the mergers and acquisitions market with the purchase of three hospices in its home state of Texas.

The company has more than 30 locations across six states and provides hospice, palliative and home-based care, as well as bereavement services.

Demographic trends are driving up hospice demand in the Lone Star State. The number of seniors 65 and older will increase by more than 88% between 2030 and 2050, reported the research and advocacy group Texas2036. This age cohort currently represents 13.7% of the state’s overall population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

BoldAge PACE Opens New Location

BoldAge PACE has unveiled a new location in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The new PACE center marks the organization’s entrance in the state and its sixth location, with others in California, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey and Ohio. Upwards of 30 participants have enrolled in the new program since last fall. The center held its grand opening on June 18.

The location will serve as a beacon for older adults in need of support, according to Rob Williams, executive director of BoldAge PACE North Charleston.

“Opening our doors has been an act of service and celebration,” Williams said in a statement shared with Hospice News. “Every day, we see the difference this model makes for families — restoring independence, peace of mind and joy for aging adults in their own homes.”

PACE programs provide medical and non-medical social services to medically fragile community-based older adults.

Seniors 65 and older represent 19.3% of South Carolina’s overall population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

BoldAge PACE cares for more than 700 seniors and has more strategic expansion coming down the pipeline. The organization anticipates opening multiple new locations over the next 12 months including a new center in Columbus, Ohio by July 1 and others cropping up Illinois, Florida, New Jersey and Ohio.

The new South Carolina program represents a key part of BoldAge’s growth plans, according to CEO Mary Austin, who has led the organization for 20 years.

“This program is personal to me,” Austin said. “For two decades, I’ve seen how PACE transforms lives — clinically, emotionally and socially. Our North Charleston center reflects the bold, compassionate approach we believe every older adult deserves.”