Sarah Neuman Center Welcomes “Small Houses” to the Mamaroneck Community

New York State Senator George Latimer and Westchester County District 7 Legislator Catherine Parker were among the guests attending a very special celebratory “house-warming” event at Jewish Home Lifecare’s

Sarah Neuman Center Sarah Neuman Center in Mamaroneck.  On January 29th, elder residents who will be moving into the newly renovated Pavillion Small House Community this month were joined by their family and friends to celebrate their new way of living and receiving care.

In his remarks during the reception, Senator Latimer commented, “This is such a new and exciting concept in long term care. I am thrilled that Sarah Neuman is making this possible for the elders of Westchester.”

The Small House communities are based on the principles of the Green House® Model of care: the needs and preferences of the elder residents, rather than operational concerns, are the focus of daily life. The physical environment of each Small House community is designed to change the institutional nursing facility into an intimate setting which combines the warmth of living in one’s own home with hands-on skilled nursing care. The goal is for residents to enjoy a sense of privacy and be active participants in their small house community.

The Small House communities are quite different than a traditional nursing home for the staff, too, so much so that they are referred to by a special name – Adirim.

Christopher Ferreri, administrator of Sarah Neuman Center, said “The caregiver role deviates from the traditional certified nursing assistant (CNA). We call it adir, which means noble and mighty in Hebrew, so essentially they are a CNA plus. They cook, do housekeeping and are 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.”

Each Small House community revolves around a country kitchen where fresh meals are prepared on a daily basis, a communal dining room and living room with a common hearth. Residents are moving in mid February. When completed, there will be five Small House communities on three floors that will be home to 63 elderss  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.

Sarah Neuman Center, part of Jewish Home Lifecare’s not-for-profit eldercare system, 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.