Bronx, NY – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced today that Jewish Home Lifecare will receive $26 million to construct a new assisted living facility for low-income Bronx seniors. Senator Gillibrand, along with Congressman José Serrano (D-Bronx), Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., State Assemblymembers José Rivera (D-Bronx), Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx), and Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan) urged New York State Health Commissioner Richard Daines to grant the non-profit funding through the State Health Department’s HEAL 20 program.
Senator Gillibrand said, “This is great news. Our Bronx elderly depend on a safe, comfortable environment with access to quality care. This funding will help protect the Bronx’s most vulnerable residents.”
Audrey Weiner, President and CEO of Jewish Home Lifecare, said, “This major grant from the State of New York will materially strengthen the geriatric care infrastructure of The Bronx at a time of heightened need for our elderly population. I can’t adequately thank Commissioner Daines, Governor Paterson, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Assembly Health Chair Dick Gottfried and our remarkable Bronx elected officials from Congressman Serrano and Borough President Diaz to Assemblymembers José Rivera and Jeff Dinowitz, each of whom vigorously champion the needs of our elders on a daily basis.”
Funding for the new 68-bed facility aims to serve low-income elderly on Medicaid who earn $9,000 or less. To ensure comfortable, convenient access, each senior will have a private room equipped with a bathroom and shower. The assisted living center, which will be built on the Bronx campus of Jewish Home Lifecare, will also provide seniors with access to medical and social services, including Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Units, dialysis center, home health care, adult day programs, recreational programs and transportation services.
Jewish Home and Hospital/Bronx Division serves 1,600 seniors every year and is a member of Jewish Home Lifecare, the largest non-profit multi-site senior living providers in New York State, serving over 9,000 seniors annually. The organization’s Bronx facility provides quality, geriatric care for Bronx residents, including special therapy centers for individuals suffering from vision, speech, and Alzheimer’s complications, short-stay rehabilitation, and skilled nursing care.