How East Mountain House Began
East Mountain House opened in September 2025, but the idea took root years earlier—in conversations among community members who witnessed the gaps in end-of-life care. Too many people facing terminal illness found themselves choosing between sterile hospital rooms or overburdened families trying to provide care at home.
We envisioned something different: a home where dying could unfold with dignity, where families could remain close without shouldering the full burden of caregiving, and where financial means wouldn’t determine the quality of someone’s final days.
What began as a vision became reality through grassroots community support. Local volunteers, donors, healthcare partners, and countless supporters created this space—brick by brick, policy by policy, relationship by relationship.
Why 'East Mountain'
In Zen tradition, East Mountain represents the place where we lose our sense of separateness—where ‘me’ transforms into ‘we.’ It’s where boundaries between self and other begin to dissolve.
This concept deeply informs our approach to caregiving. At East Mountain House, we don’t maintain rigid distinctions between caregivers and those receiving care. Instead, we create space for genuine human connection—where suffering is met with presence, where isolation gives way to community.
The name reminds us that end-of-life care, at its best, is about relationship. When we truly show up for someone at life’s end, we discover that caring for another is inseparable from caring for ourselves. We’re all walking this path together.
A Movement, Not Just a Home
East Mountain House is both a specific place in Lakeville, Connecticut, and a possibility for communities everywhere. We’re learning as we go—discovering what works, what doesn’t, and how to create truly dignified end-of-life care on a community-supported model.
We share our experiences openly, hoping to inspire and support others who want to create similar homes in their own communities. Because everyone deserves this kind of care at life’s end—not just those with financial resources or geographic proximity to East Mountain House.
If you’re interested in bringing this model to your community, we’d love to connect and share what we’re learning.
Guests who are able are asked to cover the cost of their stay; philanthropic support is essential to offset operating costs and ensure access to care for those who cannot