Frequently Asked Questions

Who Owns Our Home Of Hope, Inc.?

No individual person, group, organization or company has any ownership of our facility. Instead, we are a non-profit organization that is run by board members who have volunteered their time to keep the facility up and running. These individuals help to raise funds and pay for the maintenance of our building, bills generated by the facility and supplies needed to care for the residents.

How does the community feel about having Our Home of Hope in Columbia?

Our Home of Hope has received tremendous support from the community. The amount of help and donations received from local residents, groups, businesses and the local churches has been amazing. We are extremely thankful for everyone who has helped us become a non-profit personal care facility, which has kept the home open for our residents.

Does a person need to have a disability to become a resident at Our Home of Hope?

No. Individuals with a physical disability, developmental disability, or behavioral health issues are the majority of the residents cared for at Our Home of Hope. We also welcome those who are older and may need a place to live due to being unable to keep up the daily tasks of living alone. However, it is a requirement that individuals seeking a room in our facility must have a physical form completed that states they meet the standard of care for a Personal Care Home.

How does someone become a resident at Our Home of Hope?

An individual who is seeking residence at Our Home of Hope must complete an application which can be found on the website under the applications section. It is also highly recommended before submitting an application, a visit to the facility should be scheduled to get a realistic understanding of how everything operates. The switch to a personal care home from a private home can be traumatic for some individuals and our facility may not be the perfect fit for your needs. Any additional forms that can be provided by the applicant's physician, hospital or current living facility is appreciated to help in the application process.

What is the criteria for being accepted to your facility?

Once an application has been received, the administrator for Our Home of Hope will look over each question and determine if the applicant fits the level of care we can provide them. We are not a medical facility that can provide an individual skilled care that would be provided in a nursing home or rehabilitation facility. In some instances, individuals will have needs that are beyond our scope of care and will not be accepted.

It is required that each individual that comes to us must be ambulatory and able to vacate the home with minimal to no assistance during an emergency. Our facility is not equipped to provide care to those who are bed ridden or wheel chair bound. Applicants who require the use of a cane or walker will need to be assessed in person to make sure they can vacate the facility within the time frame accepted by the state and local fire departments.

Personality and characteristic traits of an individual are also considered when looking over an applicant. With housing up to 30 residents at one time, we have become a family. It is important for us to consider if the past behavior shown by an individual and level of care they require is cohesive to the well being of our residents. It is important to Our Home of Hope that we provide a safe, caring atmosphere for all those living and working in the facility.

Once an application has been accepted a formal meet and greet is conducted with the Administrator to discuss provided medical records, finance available, registering for the Personal Care Home Supplement, if needed, and the facilities expectations regarding house rules. In addition to these, an assessment of the applicant's mobility may be required. If both parties feel that Our Home of Hope is a perfect fit, then a date will be set up for the applicant to move in. Please note that this meeting may be in addition to any previous tour you have conducted when considering our facility for your future home.

Do I have to have a physical from a physician to live at Our Home of Hope?

Yes. All applicants must have the Department of Health's Adult Residential Licensing Documentation of Medical Evaluation (DME) form completed by a physician to be admitted to our facility. In addition to this form, Office of Aging also requires that residents have an MA-51 form completed at the same time as the DME. These forms allow our administrator to assure that the applicant has met all the requirements for a Personal Care Home.

Does Our Home of Hope accept those who are only receiving SSI?

Yes. We have 28 beds that are available to residents who only receive SSI. The two additional rooms are private pay, single bedrooms.

What if a person does not have disability benefits, or other income/assets?

Occasionally, when funds allow, we can accept those individuals who qualify for a Personal Care Home but do not currently receive Social Security benefits of any kind. These types of situations are determined on an individual basis. A set time limit will be required based on the situation on how long the facility will be willing to defer room and board payments. All applicants must be eligible for some type of social security benefit as we are unable to provide free room and board indefinitely.

Why are there different rates for the same room?

Our private pay rates are based on what other Personal Care Home facilities charge in the area. These rates are charged to those individuals who have the financial ability to pay the rate because of personal savings, annuities, pensions or other non-Social Security benefits. In some cases, individuals may choose to use private pay funds until they become eligible for Social Security. When this occurs their rate will change and be based off of the Social Security benefits they receive. In certain cases, Our Home of Hope will work with private pay individuals who are unable to meet the room rate requested. We will then work with that individual to establish a lower room rate based on their income for a period of time.

Our rates for individuals with Social Security benefits is based off a number of factors. The two rates listed are based off a payments received for Social Security (SS) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In most cases Social Security Disability (SSD) falls under one of these categories. If an individual with Social Security benefits comes to use that has never been in a facility prior to admission, Our Home of Hope will complete paper work so they can receive the Personal Care Home Supplement to help pay for the additional cost of the room. It is important to note that once an individual leaves our facility, they will no longer receive the supplement. If any portion of the supplement is spent after leaving, the recipient will be responsible for any amount owed to the Social Security Administration.

Do you accept payments from Medicare or Medical Assistance?

We are not considered a medical facility and are thus not eligible to receive payments from Medicare or Medical Assistance,.

If residents pay to live at your facility, why are you asking for donations?

The majority of our residents' are low-income and only receive benefits from Social Security. And while Our Home of Hope is able to apply for a Personal Care Home Supplement through Social Security, an additional asset that helps cover the full cost for room and board, it is not enough to fully sustain the daily cost of food, supplies and repairs. The cost of living is steadily increasing and social security benefits have barely seen a dollar raise, even nothing at all, most years. Unfortunately, when large repairs are required or new equipment or furniture needs to be purchased this can take a large sum of money leaving us with minimal funds to make or pay for future needs.

Donations made by individuals, groups, organizations or businesses will also help us to provide housing for residents who may be unable to pay the monthly room and board fees for a minimum amount of time. This may be due to loss of benefits for a number of reasons to those still in the process of attaining benefits from Social Security.

What utilities will someone be responsible for beyond their room and board payments?

All standard utilities are included with the agreed upon rate for room and board. Additional costs that residents may need to pay for are:

Cellular Phones - Each resident is responsible for any payments and fees that may incur with entering a contract with a cellular provider. If a resident chooses to purchase a prepaid cellular phone, they are responsible for buying minutes to keep their cellular phone current.
Private Landline Phone - Any residents who would like to have a landline phone for their room is responsible for the installation fees and the monthly payments required by the company.
Cable - Our Home of Hope has cable transmitters available for residents to rent at a minimum fee. This process will be discussed during applicant's interview.

Do tenants need to provide furniture?

No. Residents are provided a twin bed, dresser, nightstand, lamp and chair for the room. If there is space available, a shelf unit may also be in room for use. Residents who are moving in are free to bring their own television, lamp, and/or chair. The television and chair must be first approved to guarantee it will fit in the space provided. Any additional furniture that an incoming resident may own must be stored off site at their own expense if they feel the need to keep said items. Our Home of Hope is not responsible for any fees a resident may incur from a storage unit.

How long can a person stay at Our Home of Hope?

Typically, residents who live in a facility are looking for long-term care. It is important to understand that we are not a Respite Care, Rehabilitation Center, Half-Way House or Boarding Home. Once an individual has become a resident, they may stay until either they would like to find a new place to live, Our Home of Hope, and a physician agree that the residents needs higher level of care, or a resident is in violation of house rules.

Are residents free to come and go?

Yes. We do however ask that all residents sign out when leaving so that each individual can be accounted for in case of an emergency. If a resident is planning to go away for a few days, we request that we are notified ahead of time so that all medications and treatments can be prepared before the resident leave. In addition to signing out, if a resident is planning on being gone during meal time, we have a board by the kitchen that residents are to write their name on. This will allow staff to be aware of who does and does not need a meal. It is the responsibility of the residents and/or individuals they are staying with, to make sure they continue their medications and not engage in anything that would threaten their ability to stay within our facility.

Are residents required to take medications to live at the facility?

Only residents who are prescribed medications by a physician are required to take them. If a resident feels that they do need or do want to take a prescribed medication, they must get a written note from the prescriber to stop medication. Consistent refusal to take prescribed medications is a violation of our house rules and may lead to the eviction of a resident.

Can residents have vehicles?

Yes. It is the responsibility of the resident to maintain the vehicle. Our Home of Hope is not responsible for any repairs, bills, violations, or fees associated with the resident's vehicle. The resident must stay current with the auto insurance company and keep a valid Pennsylvania Driver's License. In addition to these, the resident is responsible for moving the vehicle on days marked for street sweeping.

What are the rules for sharing a room?

Residents who share a room are each provided their own bed, lamp, nightstand, dresser and chair. each resident may have his or her own television if wanted. In most rooms, residents must share a closet space. We ask that each resident keep their personal items to a minimum and that any kept must stay on their side of the room. If you would like to hang personal pictures, we ask that you let our maintenance staff hang them for you to prevent unnecessary damage to the walls.

Are residents required to clean their own rooms?

Our Home of Hope provides a housekeeper that will make sure rooms are vacuumed, dusted, mirrors cleaned and all trash removed. However, we do ask that residents pick up after themselves and do not leave items lying on the floor as they can be a hazard to themselves or roommate.

Do you provide activities for the residents?

Yes. A schedule of activities is always listed in the main hallway bulletin board. Activities range from game nights to making crafts to holiday parties. We have some wonderful volunteers who come in often to play bingo and provide some delicious prizes! Local churches, groups and other organizations will also come to our facility and provide music, communion and special events with our residents.