Daughter of King City Councilwoman Darlene Acosta calls Jerry’s Place a blessing for her mother

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV)- Death is inevitable, and while people don’t like to think about it, it is going to happen to everyone.

However, people hardly ever prepare for the end of life, like preparing for new life. Often, families are caught off-guard by the amount of stress and responsibility that comes with hospice care.

In Seaside, Jerry’s Place is a home for end-of-life care where people with less than six months to live can find comfort in their final days on earth. Under Medicare, room and board are not covered, and Jerry’s Place provides a sense of relief for families who do not have the resources to care for their dying loved ones.

"There's a huge need in our communities and other communities for what we call social-model hospice. So hospice care is usually done at home and most patients don't have the caregiving ability or don't have the finances to get caregivers, said Datrma Naidu a member of Jerry's Place. "Our mission with Jerry's Place is to provide an opportunity for people who don't have caregivers and don't have the resources for their last couple months of life."

Thanks to a collaboration of professionals people like Darlene Acosta could live out their final days in peace and with the proper care.

Acosta was a former King City councilwoman who passed away in February of 2023. She passed away briefly after being diagnosed with cancer. Her family says Jerry’s Place was a blessing for a woman who fought hard at Sun Street Centers as a South County Prevention Program Manager.

Jerry's Place has only operated for four months and already they have managed to help four patients thanks to a grant by the Hospice Giving Foundation. Jerry's Place was created in honor of Doctor Jerry Rubin, an oncologist and advocate for federal hospice dollars. His

Members want to have a home, like Jerry's Place in Seaside, in every community throughout the Central Coast.