Helen’s House Opening for Patients and Families of Brooks Rehabilitation

Helen’s House, a non-profit hospitality house offering affordable temporary lodging to Brooks Rehabilitation patients and their caregivers, opens October 26, 2017.

Helen’s House is named in honor of Helen Brown, the wife of Brooks founder J. Brooks Brown, MD. “Helen was the most gracious and welcoming person I have ever met. She had a unique ability to make everyone she came in contact with feel important and special.  She treated everyone as if they were a part of her family. We are excited to honor her memory and legacy in this special way,” said Doug Baer, CEO of Brooks Rehabilitation.

Helen’s House has 38 guest rooms to serve the families and caregivers of patients who live outside the greater Jacksonville area. It will be available to those who have a family member at one of Brooks’ inpatient settings (Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, Bartram Crossing, University Crossing, the Total Joint Rehabilitation Unit at St. Vincent’s Medical Center Southside) or participating in the Pain Rehabilitation Program, Brain Injury Day Treatment Program or the Intensive Aphasia Center Program. The nightly room rate is $50 for the first night and $40 per night thereafter.

Brooks is excited to announce that they have partnered with Gabriel House of Care to manage Helen’s House. Gabriel House is a 29-bedroom, hospitality house that provides affordable, temporary lodging to adult cancer and organ transplant patients and their caregivers who come to Jacksonville for treatment. Gabriel House is located on the Mayo Clinic campus. Gabriel House will bring their “Community of Healing” concept to Helen’s House, by offering supportive programs to help guests learn to better cope with the difficult medical circumstances and overwhelming stress they are facing.

“In our search for a partner who understood how to operate a hospitality house, it was equally important to find someone who cares as much about the health, total well-being and recovery of patients and family members as we do. We found no better partner than Gabriel House of Care,” said Michael Spigel, President and COO of Brooks Rehabilitation.

“We are excited to be working with Brooks in this endeavor and with the families and patients we will be serving. These families are coming from outside the Jacksonville area with loved ones who have suffered from a traumatic illness or injury. They have left their communities, their families and friends to come to Jacksonville for medical care. Helen’s House is a place of hope and support where we can assist in improving their quality of life and their transition back home,” said Valerie Callahan, Executive Director for Gabriel House.

For more information, please visit the Helen’s House website.