News Details
National Church Residences Opens First Affordable Senior Housing Community with Included Service Options
April 29, 2010
National Church Residences held a grand opening ceremony on Thursday, April 29, for Home & Community Services Suites, National Church Residences' first affordable senior housing community with included services. Located north Columbus, Ohio, the 39-unit building for seniors aged 62 and over, offers residents enhanced, optional health care services on-site, with the objective of allowing them to age-in-place in their individual apartment units, thereby avoiding, or substantially delaying, an unnecessary move to an assisted living or skilled nursing facility.
The $3.6 million building, constructed under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 202 affordable senior housing program, is staffed with a full-time resident service coordinator, who connects residents to those individual services needed to successfully age-in-place. Home & Community Services Suites is served by a part-time activity director, the first such position in an National Church Residences independent living community. Residents may choose from a host of home health care providers, including IHome & Community Services (www.incarehomehealth.org), National Church Residences' senior home health services organization. Home & Community Services offers:
· 24-hour response
· round-the-clock care
· skilled nursing
· assisted living
· homemaking service (food preparation and light housekeeping)
· personal care (bathing; grooming; dressing; medication reminders)
· hospice
· support services
· physical, occupational, and speech therapy
· adult day services (Franklin & Delaware counties) via National Church Residences Center for Senior Health Centers (www.heritagedayhealth.org)
Home & Community Services services are provided by registered and licensed practical nurses; home health aides; social service professionals; and therapists. Home & Community Services staff members work in conjunction with physicians to ensure proper care.
“The premise of Home & Community Services Suites is to allow seniors to age-in-place, while maintaining a level of independence,” said Thomas W. Slemmer, National Church Residences president & CEO. “Facilities like Home & Community Services Suites provide much-needed relief to our health care system. Seniors must be provided options that allow them to choose lower-cost care and to age-in-place successfully and with dignity. At-home care is less expensive than placement in a skilled nursing facility, and clearly effective at fostering and maintaining senior independence. One of National Church Residences' primary objectives is to provide lower-cost living resources to our nation’s low-income seniors. ”
Several of the initial residents of the building transferred to Home & Community Services Suites from skilled nursing facilities.
Speakers the grand opening event included:
- Ohio Department of Aging Director Barbara E. Riley
- Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown
- Columbus City Council Member Eileen Paley
- Columbus Multifamily HUB, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Director Scott Hunley
- National Church Residences President & CEO Thomas Slemmer
- National Church Residences Board Chairman Floyd Jones
