The Visiting Nurse Association of Texas (VNA) is developing the first and only Hospice House facility in North Texas—Katherine’s House. To provide seriously ill patients who lack an appropriate caregiver, suitable housing, or financial means with a safe place to die with dignity and respect. VNA is currently working to open Katherine’s House in Dallas in 2027 to meet this need.
Why VNA is Embarking on this Mission
Traditionally offered in the home, hospice care provides compassionate end-of-life support for those suffering from serious illness. It offers vital medical, emotional, and spiritual care for both patients and their loved ones, allowing individuals to live their final days with comfort and dignity. However, not everyone has a safe home environment or a caregiver capable of providing this level of support. Many seriously ill individuals in North Texas are unable to receive hospice care due to homelessness, unsafe housing, or the absence of a caregiver. As a result, these patients often remain in the hospital until their passing or are placed in nursing facilities at hospital expense—options that are neither compassionate nor sustainable. In North Texas, there is currently no dedicated home for seriously ill patients who lack an appropriate caregiver, housing, or financial means to receive care and die with dignity. VNA is stepping forward to fill this critical gap by creating a Hospice House that ensures every person can experience compassionate, dignified end-of-life care.
How We Will Meet the Need
VNA is developing the first and only Hospice House in North Texas for patients who are unable to receive care in their own home. The Meadows Foundation has generously leased a home in the Wilson Historic District to VNA at no cost to make this vision a reality. The five-bedroom Hospice House will provide a warm, intimate environment where patients receive 24-hour care and all the services of home hospice, including nursing, social work, spiritual care, and volunteer support. Given the immense need in the community, VNA anticipates serving approximately 125 patients each year, with an approximate average stay of two weeks per patient.
Project milestones include:
- January 2026: Begin remodeling the home to meet Assisted Living Facility standards, creating private bedrooms, staff work areas, meal preparation space, and medical supply storage.
- January 2027: Completion of construction and admission of first patients through referrals from local hospital systems.
- Post-Opening: Apply for Assisted Living Facility licensure through the State of Texas once patients are admitted.
VNA is seeking partners to help fund the remodeling of the Hospice House and to provide operating support during its first five years. Following this initial phase, continued community generosity will be essential to sustaining this first-of-its-kind home—ensuring that North Texans without housing or caregivers can receive compassionate, dignified care at the end of life.
What You Can Do
You can be part of this first-of-its-kind effort to ensure the most vulnerable among us can spend their final days in peace, surrounded by dignity, compassion, and care. Call Jennifer Austin at 214-384-9515 for information.
Here’s what our clinical partners are saying:
“The availability of a place for our most marginalized patients when their need is greatest is something that would provide dignity and care to those that have often rarely experienced it. We have patients that continue a cycle of discharge and readmit for weeks leading up to their deaths, simply due to a lack of a support system to mobilize and coordinate a housing option. Or, lack of available caregivers for our younger patients whose families work full-time and have no option to stay home and provide care around the clock. The ongoing works to achieve a Hospice House are so appreciated. We eagerly await news on progress!”
Claudia Shook, LMSW, ACM-SW, APHSW-C, Supportive and Palliative Care Social Worker, Baylor Scott and White Health
The Meadows Foundation has generously leased a home to VNA at no cost in the Wilson Historic District. Renovations will begin in January 2026, with the goal of welcoming patients in early 2027. VNA is seeking partners to support the remodeling of the home and five years of operating costs totaling $5 million.
