What is Caring House?
Caring House provides comfortable, supportive, and affordable housing to Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center’s adult outpatients and their caregivers. It is a 12,900 square foot building that has 18 private rooms with a private bath, phone, television, and DVD player. There are three fully equipped kitchens, a large dining room, a great room, laundry room, hobby room with free computer access, screened-in porch, water garden with a koi pond, bird habitat area, rose garden, healing garden and vegetable garden. Patients are encouraged to bring their caregivers, which may be a spouse, other family member or close friend.
Who can stay at Caring House?
All Caring House guests must be 18 years of age or older, and all patients must be receiving outpatient cancer treatment at Duke. Guests must be able to care for themselves or bring a family member or friend who can help with the activities of daily living. All guests must be free of infectious conditions that could put other patients at risk. There is a limit of one room per family.
Is Caring House a Medical Facility?
Caring House is not a medical facility. No medical staff is on duty. No medications will be administered by Caring House staff or volunteers. Caring House is strictly a housing facility.
Can I reserve a room at Caring House?
All guests at Caring House are referred by oncology social workers or patient resource managers at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. Unfortunately a referral does not guarantee a room on a given date. Because current guests may stay as long as their treatment lasts (not always predictable), referred patients may have to wait anywhere from one day to six weeks before a room becomes available. If their treatment starts and Caring House is not yet able to accommodate them, referred patients may choose to remain on the waiting list to be contacted as soon as there is an opening.Previous guests who must return to Duke for follow-up visits may be able to stay at Caring House. If you are a previous guest of Caring House, you can contact the Caring House Operations Manager (919-490-5449) directly two days before you need the room, to check on availability.For patient referrals, call your Duke Oncology Social Worker.
Duke Social Worker Referrals:
Greg Bankoski (668-6676): Sarcoma, GI, Thoracic, Melanoma
Dean Johnson (684-5259): Breast, GU, gynecology, hematologic malignancy
Stephanie English and Maggie McDermott (681-1687): Brain tumor
Kevin Kraft (684-6726): Hyperbaric
Is there a waiting list?
There is almost always a waiting list at Caring House. The list is compiled using two criteria: (1) the date the room is needed, and (2) the referral date. When received, referrals are placed in order of referral date within the week the room is needed. When a room becomes available, the house manager contacts the potential guest whose name is next on the list. It is, therefore, important for those who want to stay at Caring House to contact an oncology social worker as soon as they know they will need a room so that a referral may be made.
Duke Social Worker Referrals:
Greg Bankoski (668-6676): Sarcoma, GI, Thoracic, Melanoma
Dean Johnson (684-5259): Breast, GU, gynecology, hematologic malignancy
Stephanie English and Maggie McDermott (681-1687): Brain tumor
Kevin Kraft (684-6726): Hyperbaric
What does it cost?
The nightly fee is $30. Guests may request a financial assistance form from their social worker.
What about meals?
Guests and/or their caregivers prepare their own meals in one of the kitchens shared with other guests. The kitchen is fully stocked with glasses, dishes, pots and pans, flatware and small appliances. Each kitchen has a microwave, stove, oven, and dishwasher.On Wednesday evenings, any interested Caring House guests organize a potluck dinner.Occasionally, volunteer groups organize and prepare community dinners for our guests. Organized dinners are posted in house on the weekly activity board.
What do I need to bring?
Since Caring House guests do their own cooking, they must bring food with them and be prepared to shop for groceries during their stay. Guests are assigned to a locked pantry, and to one of three refrigerators for the storage of their food. We advise that guests purchase small quantities of food at a time, particularly those items that need to be refrigerated. Guest rooms may not be used for food storage.Guests should also bring any personal items, such as clothing, toiletries, extra pillows and other items needed during their stay. There is a set of sheets provided for each bed, and one set of towels for each individual staying in the room. These sheets and towels need to be laundered by guests during their stay in the Caring House laundry room. Guests are certainly welcome to bring extra towels or sheets.
Is there a maid service?
The common areas (lobby, kitchen, dining room, great room, library, computer room, and laundry room) are cleaned by a hired service every weekday. Between guest stays, the private rooms are professionally cleaned.Each guest is responsible for cleaning his or her own bedroom and bath while at Caring House and leave the room clean at checkout. At check-out, linens should be removed from the beds and set aside in a large plastic bag to be professionally cleaned. Cleaning supplies, vacuums, toilet paper, and garbage bags are all provided for our guests.
What about laundry?
Washers, dryers, and detergent are provided free of charge Caring House. Guests use the laundry room to do their personal laundry and to wash their sheets and towels during their stay Irons and drying racks are also available for use.
Can my caregiver(s) stay at Caring House if I am admitted to the hospital?
Caring House is aware of the sensitive nature of cancer treatment, and we try to respond to the needs of our guests accordingly. However, because there is almost always a waiting list for rooms, we do have an “absentee and/or pause in treatment” policy. If a guest must unexpectedly be admitted to the hospital during their stay, family members or friends who are staying with the guest may remain at Caring House for up to ten days. After ten days, the vacated room is filled by the next person on our waiting list. When the original occupant is released from the hospital and approved to continue their treatment, Caring House will make every effort to allow them to fill the next available room.
How do I get to/from Duke hospital?
Duke Medical Center has a shuttle that will transport Caring House guests to and from the clinics or hospital. It does not run on a regular schedule. This transportation service is only for guests to get back and forth to their medical appointments at Duke hospital. There are no additional transportation services offered here at Caring House.
Is there a place to park my car?
There is a large parking lot at Caring House with enough space for both the patient and his or her caregiver to park. All cars must be registered upon check in.
May I get mail at Caring House?
Letters should be addressed to:
Last Name/Family Name with Room Number c/o Caring House
2625 Pickett Road
Durham, NC 27705.
What are the rules?
Our primary concern is that the guests staying at Caring House are safe and comfortable. We must therefore ask that each guest abide by the simple rules that we have established. Disruptive or irresponsible behavior that threatens the security or well-being of our guests will not be tolerated and will result in the loss of ability to stay at, or return to, Caring House. We do expect that you will use the House for the purpose for which it is intended–to enable you to receive treatment at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. We also expect that you will help keep the house clean and neat, including your room. There is no smoking, except in the designated outside smoking area. Upon admission to Caring House, all guests will receive more information on specific rules and consequences of disruptive behavior.
Documents to bring with you when you register
