To some, a home is synonymous with a house. A physical structure or a dwelling, varying in sizes and shapes, styles and sidings. To others, a home is the community of people who have taken residence within. They encapsulate the vibrancy of the human experience — a shared experience at that.
At Isaiah House, there’s a lot of living going on.
This may come as a surprise, considering Isaiah House is a comfort care home for the dying. But to the residents, their families and the dedicated volunteers (of whom there are well over 100), the house really is a home devoted to life.
“This is a place where you can learn to live better, to appreciate more things,” said Kristin Kildea, director of Isaiah House. “It’s the most basic of gifts.”
Isaiah House was founded in 1987 with the original intention to care for those dying of AIDS. Its current mission is to serve society’s most marginalized and those with the greatest psychosocial needs, offering them a place to live and die. The comfort care home was at 71 Prince Street until relocating a few years ago to 1005 East Avenue.
The move was made possible after the parents of a man who died at Isaiah House donated the majority of the funds to purchase the new property, in gratitude for the care and love their son had received.
Built in 1865 for Edward Harris (who started the law firm that later became Harris Beach), the colonial mansion of nearly 6,200 square feet has an off-white exterior with forest green shutters, hints of red brick and a front porch complete with a swing. The porch is protected by a large beech tree — a spry 155 years in age — that Kildea believes soaks up the grief and sadness from those sitting adjacent.
Isaiah House can shelter for two residents at a time, each in one of two rooms on the first floor. With stained-glass windows, herringbone wood floors, stunning built-in bookshelves, a fireplace, a grand staircase and relief plaster ceilings, the house is both ornate and warm. Nearly every piece of furniture was donated by community members. Behind the house sits an expansive English rose garden that has been on the property for decades.
“It takes an hour and a half to water the garden,” said Mark Cleary, retired CEO of City Blue Imaging and the previous owner of 1005 East Avenue.
Though Cleary moved out in 2022, he and Kildea have become close friends.
“I never thought that I would have involvement with the people that took over my house,” said Cleary, who is a call away when Kildea needs help with the fireplace or has questions about plumbing needs in colder weather.
The relationship between past and present owners is indicative of the kind of community Isaiah House nurtures on a daily basis.
“Community for us, really, is just one beautiful human being after another who has so much love to give,” said Kildea.
In the 38 years since opening its doors, Isaiah House has helped over 600 people in the Rochester community live and die with dignity. This looks different for each person, and Kildea and volunteers make it their primary purpose to discover exactly what their residents want and need.
“We’re committed to making sure that we can help you live the best day you can possibly live every single day,” said Kildea.
For one resident, this meant early Christmas shopping. She knew she would not make it to Christmas morning and worried her children wouldn’t have presents. Kildea assured her that she was not facing that fear alone and helped make sure her children had presents to open on December 25.
That act of kindness is Isaiah House in its simplest form — a community that bears witness to humankind and chooses to love deeply, bravely. A place where people don’t question their value, because they are reminded of it with every hug and every hand held in moments of quiet and uncertainty.
“And what greater purpose can we have if we are at the bedside than to help someone feel like their life mattered before they die,” said Kildea. “It’s the being afraid when it’s starting to get dark but knowing that there’s someone willing to sit beside you through that fear of the darkness. That’s home.” theisaiahhouse.org
