Hospice/Residential Care -- Avalon

Avalon, located in Carmichael, Sacramento County, is a six-bed licensed Residential Care Facility for the Chronically Ill. providing 24-hour nursing care, assistance with daily living, all meals and snacks, medication management, transportation to medical and social service appointments, Hospice RN and Social Work case management and a range of other services in a home-like setting. AHA collaborates with Hospice Departments at UCDMC, Kaiser, Mercy, and Sutter and with Vitas Hospice.

For admission, individuals must be very-low income, homeless, have HIV/AIDS and be so ill that they cannot look after themselves. At Avalon, they can comfortably live out their last months or days or strengthen and heal to get on with their lives.

Each resident is provided with an individual bedroom with a hospital bed and cable TV, and access to common living areas, kitchen and dining room. Eligible residents pay Rent and Fees equal to the Board and Care allowance of SSI. Nobody is turned away soley on the basis of inability to pay.

Avalon opened in March 1995. The building was originally leased and remodeled with an all volunteer effort. In 1997, the building was purchased outright with HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People Living With AIDS - a HUD program) funds. Operations are partially funded by HUD as Permanent Supportive Housing for the Disabled, by Rents and Fees, and private donations. Support services are partially funded by HRSA (the Federal Health Resource Service Administration) through the Ryan White CARE Act, the State Office of AIDS Residential AIDS Living Facilities program, and private Foundations.

Avalon bustles with volunteers including high school students from Jesuit and St. Francis who provide companionship and cook meals; an HIV+ men’s group decorates the house for the holidays; the Sisterhood at Temple B’nai Israel provides chicken soup; and St. Paul’s and St. Michael’s Episcopal, Westminster Presbyterian and Adventure Christian Churches have adopted Avalon as part of their ministries. California State University, Sacramento Nursing Program places student nurses on mental health internships at Avalon each semester.

The Name:
The name ‘Avalon’ is derived from the myth and legend of King Arthur. In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s epic poem “Idylls of the King”, a mortally wounded King Arthur speaks to his friends, “…but now farewell, I am going a long way… To the island-valley of Avalon: where falls not hail, or rain or any snow. Nor ever wind blows loudly: but it lies Deep meadow’d, happy, fair with orchard lawns And bowery hollows crown’d with summer seas Where I will heal me of my grievous wounds.”

Admission:
Low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS who are in a hospice program or who are very sick and unable to care for themselves, can be referred to Avalon by calling (916) 979-0925 or fax (916) 979-0410.

To volunteer:
To volunteer your time to visit with or transport (to medical appointments) residents, to help with house and yard work, to assist with office work, to work on fund raising events or ideas call (916) 979-0925.