Amador Roman meets the medical requirements of living in a nursing home. However the 83 year old retired cook prefers instead to remain in his apartment on Red Lion Road and get his daily medical attention and social needs met at a LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) Center. He is picked up each day at 8:00 a.m. and transported to the NewCourtland LIFE Center on Allegheny Ave. in North Philadelphia.
Until now, there has been no LIFE Center in Northeast Philadelphia but that situation will soon change. NewCourtland, which currently serves North and Northwest Philadelphia, was designated several months ago by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to also service low-income seniors through the LIFE program in the Northeast. The company has begun building out space for its new center in the Roosevelt Plaza at the Boulevard and Harbison Street in Mayfair, with plans to open by the end of the Fall.
Like NewCourtland’s LIFE Centers in North Philadelphia and Germantown, the new Northeast location will offer healthcare and supportive services to seniors who are 55 or older and in need of nursing home care but who, like Roman, prefer to remain in their own home.
Roman, a native of Puerto Rico who worked at the famous Palumbo’s night club in South Philadelphia for 22 years, says he loves the people and social activities at the center. He’s a whiz at the checker board! But he does look forward to a shorter commute once the Boulevard location opens.
“I am the first one they pick up in the morning and they make four or five stops on the way in,” he said. “It’s no problem, but going to a LIFE Center in the Northeast will be better.”
Amador Roman enjoys a game of checkers with a friend
Healthcare services provided at the new LIFE Center will include: primary care; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; and scheduled care by specialists.
Supportive services will include: adult day services; programs and activities; meals; and counseling by social workers.
NewCourtland provides transportation to and from the Center and even to and from specialist appointments outside of the center, when needed. In addition, NewCourtland offers home care and will make home modifications to accommodate health-related issues.
NewCourtland had operated seven nursing homes in Philadelphia until 2011 when the company determined that more and more seniors wanted to remain in their homes and get their needs met in the community. So the company sold six of its seven nursing homes to focus more of its time, talent and resources on keeping seniors as independent as possible for as long as possible. Though for some frail seniors, a nursing home remains the best option, it costs the state significantly less to support seniors under the LIFE Center model.
The new Northeast LIFE Center will include 10,000 square feet on space. Watch the Gazette for more information on a final date for the opening.
About NewCourtland Senior Services
NewCourtland Senior Services is a Philadelphia-based, non-profit organization that provides thousands of low-income seniors with affordable housing, healthcare, and supportive services which are customized to meet each individual’s unique needs. To learn more, visit NewCourtland.org or call 1-888-530-4913.
