Frequently Asked Questions

Francis House accepts referrals from physicians, clergy, hospitals, home care agencies, family members and prospective residents themselves. To refer someone to us, please email referral@francishouseny.org to reach our Care Team directly. A copy of the prospective resident’s medical records will be needed for the referral process.

Candidates for Francis House residency have a terminal illness diagnosis with a prognosis of three months or less life expectancy. All candidates who meet our requirements are placed into a pool of prospective residents. Beds are assigned to individuals based on who is most in need, not in the order that a referral is submitted. Need is assessed by a multidisciplinary team at Francis House and is reviewed daily.

Residents and their families are encouraged to think of Francis House as their home. Please feel free to bring personal items and decorations for the room. If there are particular food or beverage items you would like to have on hand, they can be stored in the kitchen area with the resident’s name on them.

There is no maximum length of stay. However, if a resident’s physical care needs change and no longer match the level of care available at Francis House or if a resident’s physical status remains the same or improves, alternative living arrangements may be required.

Francis House is a 501(c)(3) and receives no federal, state or local funding nor any insurance reimbursement. Our mission is entirely supported solely by the generosity of the Central New York community we serve. The cost of care at Francis House is $7,500 per resident, per month. Residents are asked to contribute towards the cost of their care; however, no resident is ever turned away because of lack of resources.

No, Francis House admits residents regardless of their religion, gender, age, race/national origin/ethnicity, sexual orientation or ability to pay for their care.

When residents come to Francis House, our house becomes their home. Visiting hours are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Residents and guests may spend time in all the common areas of Francis House. If residents are able, they may also go outside and enjoy our porch, patio, or gazebo. Caregivers are present 24-hours a day.

Visitation policy: 

• Visitors must sign in and out when visiting Francis House. This is essential for safety/fire purposes.
• Visitors are expected to be respectful of all residents and their visitors.
• Caregivers may ask visitors to leave a resident room while performing resident care duties.  All visitors must comply with these requests.
• Offering a peaceful environment and maintaining the health, wellness, and safety of our residents, caregivers, staff, and visitors, are our highest priorities.

• Francis House has a number of staff members who are equipped to assist residents and their loved ones in navigating the challenges of loss and grief. For further assistance, please see our Mission Outreach page for other grief and bereavement resources.
• Hospice also provides social work support to residents and their families as well as bereavement after a residents’ passing.

Francis House offers a number of integrative therapies, including aromatherapy, music, massage, healing touch, pet therapy, and counseling.

• If your loved one was a resident of Francis House, we provide a list of donors to the person listed as the primary contact. This normally occurs after about 5 weeks in order to make sure there’s been time for everything to be received and processed.
• If your loved one was not a resident at Francis House but you did ask for donations in their name in the obituary (or elsewhere), please contact us at 315-475-5422 or info@francishouseny.org and provide us with the contact information of the person who should receive the list.