Community beyond construction at 899 Charleston Songwriting ...

It is with tremendous pride that I serve as chair of theJewish Home of San Francisco’s board of trustees. Fornearly 137 years, from one generation to the next, theJewish Home has been a vibrant community in whichthe lives of the residents are enriched by the provisionof high quality care, services, and programs.Throughout the Home’s venerable history, the community’sextraordinary commitment to caring for our older adults withdignity and respect has been unwavering. We remain grateful toour community for this unparalleled level of support. Without it,the Home simply would not be able to provide the level of care andassistance that our community expects and that our residentsdeserve.Yet, in recent years, providing for our community’s older adultshas become increasingly more complex and challenging. The healthneeds of elders are more profound, people are living longer, and thoseseeking our services arrive with greater frailties than ever before.Government funding is inadequate and far less dependable as thedifferent levels of government grapple with their own unprecedenteddeficits. In addition, the cost of providing health care continues tomount, while general inflationary pressures are escalating at ratesthat are not being matched by government support.“The intent of this initiative is to establish aworld-class center for aging services in SanFrancisco that builds upon our reputationfor innovation, clinical and service excellence,research, education, and advocacy.”For its part, the Jewish Home’s leadership recognizes the changingworld in which we operate and is fully poised to dynamically respondto ensure the relevancy and viability of our programs, services, andfacilities throughout the 21st century. It is in this regard that theJewish Home is embarking upon the re-master planning of its SilverAvenue campus. We are analyzing how we deliver services, as wellas our ability to improve and realign these services in a mannerconsistent with trends that meet the current and future projectedneeds of those older adults seeking our services.The intent of this initiative is to establish a world-class centerfor aging services in San Francisco that builds upon our reputationfor innovation, clinical and service excellence, research, education,and advocacy. The scope of this project will include but not belimited to: a facilities and building systems review; environmentalanalysis; demographic analysis; and community needs assessment.Additionally, we are collaborating with our Menorah Park of SanFrancisco partners in order to identify ways to extend our services tothose older adults who do not require medically-oriented services,David friedmanyet desire the convivial atmosphere of a Jewishsponsoredolder adult community. The JewishHome’s site re-master plan project is led by animpressive Steering Committee comprised of JewishHome trustees and staff, as well as communityrepresentation. In partnership with the Home’ssenior staff, I would like to take this opportunity toacknowledge and thank the following individualsfor serving with me on this committee: MichaelAdler, James Davis, David Friedman, Bill Pomeranz,Nurit Robinson, Joel Roos, and Michael Strunsky.I look forward to working with this outstandingcommittee and keeping you apprised of ourprogress.The Jewish Home of San Francisco remains theflagship – the emotional and cultural epicenter ofour aging initiatives. The hallmark of the JewishHome over its long history has been the ability tore-invent itself, ensuring relevancy to its clients.As we continue this evolutionary process, we do soknowing that opportunities can only be optimizedthrough your continued generous support.Mark MyersChair, Board of Trustees,Jewish Home of San FranciscoMark Myers6 Jewish Senior Living summer 2008