About

With the growing caregiver crisis in end-of-life care and the inadequate resources of the health care system, Omega Homes have emerged as havens of comfort, peace and support for people in need who are dying. These homes are known informally and collectively by many different names, including Social Model Hospice Homes, Comfort Care Homes, and Homes for the Dying.

Mission Statement:
Omega Home Network fosters a pathway to creating and sustaining community homes for people in need who are dying.

Vision Statement:
We envision a world where every community offers loving care in a home-like setting that enables terminally ill people to live fully and die well.

What's an Omega Home? It's a home that's:

designed for and focused on non-medical care at the end of life
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
in a collaborative working relationship with the resident’s hospice (medical) care team
not a hospital, nursing home, hospice, or medical facility
funded by community and family support
staffed by volunteers and/or paid caregivers who are considered “extended family”
complementary and not duplicative to what already exists in the community
created by the local community for the local community
reflective of the spirit of the people and the culture of the local community
inclusive and open to all people, according to local regulations
simply “home and family” and carries the heart of everything that means

Our innovative model of non-medical care in a community home offers a comfort-based, person-centered home-away-from-home for people in the last months and days of life. Varying in size, appearance and internal policies, yet sharing a common foundation and philosophy, there are currently 100+ open or developing Omega homes located in multiple states across the US.

At Omega Home Network, we believe that meaningful end-of-life care is made stronger through collaboration.
We believe in contributing to and sharing in a national conversation about improving end-of-life care and education. This work is enriched and expanded by collaboration with regional and national advocates and thought‑leaders.
These trusted colleagues help us expand access, share knowledge and support the unique needs of those nearing
the end of life. Together, we are advancing the support and resources for individuals and loved ones experiencing
life-threatening illnesses.

Collaborative Colleagues

Read our member spotlight on the C-TAC blog.

Member Spotlight

Spirit’s Rest is a nonprofit organization that opened its first residential hospice care home in the Roanoke Valley in December 2024. It was created to address a gap that many in end-of-life care know well: the lack of options for hospice patients who cannot safely remain at home and do not have a caregiver to support them.

The organization was founded by a hospice chaplain who, through years of bedside ministry, witnessed that a high percentage of hospice patients were spending their final days in nursing homes — not because it was the best setting for them, but because there were few alternatives. For individuals without family caregivers or adequate home support, nursing facilities often become the default in our area. Yet these settings, particularly for those at the end of life, can feel clinical, understaffed and ill-suited to the dignity, comfort and presence this season of life deserves.

Spirit’s Rest exists to offer another way.

The home provides a peaceful, residential setting where up to three hospice patients live at a time. By intentionally limiting capacity, the team is able to offer consistent presence, meaningful relationships and care that honors each resident’s preferences and rhythms. Each resident has a private bedroom that can be personalized and a guest room is available for family members to stay close when it matters most. Family and friends are encouraged to be present and participate as they wish.

Daily support includes meals, companionship, assistance with activities of daily living, medication administration and continuous presence. Care plans are developed with a strong emphasis on quality of life and responsiveness to each resident’s physical, emotional, spiritual and relational needs.

“At Spirit’s Rest, we believe every person has inherent dignity at every stage of life,” shares the founder. “Our role is to create a home where that dignity is honored through attentive care, compassion and presence.” She adds, “Our goal is simple: to ensure every person is treated with dignity and has excellent care until their very last breath.”

Spirit’s Rest currently offers care on a sliding scale to expand access regardless of financial means, with a long-term vision of offering care free of charge. Recent months have focused on strengthening referral relationships with local hospice agencies and community partners, expanding volunteer recruitment and training and refining systems to support sustainability while preserving the intimacy of the home.

As members of the Omega Home Network, Spirit’s Rest is grateful for the shared wisdom, encouragement and practical support of fellow members. Being part of this community reinforces the belief that small, home-based models can profoundly shape how people experience the final chapter of life — one home, one guest and one family at a time.

Caroline Stanfill
Executive Director, Spirit's Rest - Vinton, VA