Jewish Home Lifecare”™s Sarah Neuman Center in Mamaroneck is undergoing a $6 million renovation project that will create a new model for long-term care.
The purpose of the renovation is to create “small houses,” in which the nonprofit elder care provider will offer more personal services in smaller living quarters to 63 residents, giving them a sense of privacy and community. It plans to unveil its first completed living space Dec. 9.
Through a $500,000 grant from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc. and matching donations from private organizations and foundations, the Sarah Neuman Center will reconfigure two floors of its 300-bed Pavilion.
The three-phase project will feature a two-story Green House home and five small houses as well as upgrades to the existing rehabilitation center and nursing home to be completed by 2016. The Green House will accommodate two 12-bedroom households, each with private bathrooms. Similar to the Green House, the small houses include single or double-bedded rooms each with a private bathroom and shower and shared spaces, including a living room, dining room and den. Each of the five small houses will be home to 13 senior citizens. Three of the five small houses will be completed by next year and the remaining two will be built by 2015.
The Green House model is another method by which the nursing center wants to create an environment that respects the residents.
“The Green House model of long-term residential care carries with it a respect for the environment,” said Michael Marcus, program director for older adult services at Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. “The buildings meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, but the important piece is organizing the place so that it reflects the experience people would most likely have in a home: meal preparation, eating together, planning and carrying out activities and having closer relationships with staff members. None of the hierarchical staff approach.”
Chris Ferreri, administrator of the Sarah Neuman Center, said “The caregivers deviate from the traditional certified nursing assistants (CNA). We call it adir, which means noble and mighty in Hebrew, so essentially they are a CNA plus. They”™ll be cooking, housekeeping and heavily involved in the daily living and caring of the residents. Rather than having the kitchen staff cook, the adir tailors the menu to the elders and cooks for them.”
Sarah Neuman Center offers nursing home care and a range of post-surgical, disease recovery and short-stay rehabilitation programs. The center includes an adult day program and respite care. The nursing center also provides private rooms, dining options, gardens, lounges, computers, concerts, art programs and pet therapy. Sarah Neuman serves more than 1,000 individuals annually with 400 staff and more than 360 community volunteers.
