Menorah Park of CNY took a major step towards realizing a dream of serving the aging Central New York population in a holistic way with the late-fall groundbreaking for its “Center for Healthy Living.”
According to CEO Mary Ellen Bloodgood, the Center for Healthy Living at Menorah Park places a high value on the integration of mind, body and spirit to achieve health and wellness.
“These new approaches to wellness look beyond medical concerns to integrate seven dimensions of well-being: physical, social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, vocational and environmental,” Bloodgood said.
To this end, the Center for Healthy Living will be intergenerational, engaging Menorah Park residents, families, including children, staff and the community. Bloodgood said participation in the center’s programs will be open to all seniors in Central New York and transportation will be provided to bring people to the Menorah Park campus.
Renovations to existing spaces at Menorah Park’s Jewish Health and Rehabilitation Center for Phase One of the Center have begun with an anticipated opening of mid-March 2017. This includes a new bistro using an open architectural style with glass walls, and outdoor spaces encompassing new gardens, walking paths, gardens, fountains and more. Bloodgood said the Bistro will employ five additional employees and will have a special emphasis on “mindful eating.”
The Center for Healthy Living will have numerous programs involving nutrition, physical and occupational therapy, medical day care, workforce training for care givers, health clinics, social activities and special events. Additionally, the center will provide home-based services including meal delivery, mental and physical health assessments, home health aides, social services and case management, home safety assessments and transportation.
Bloodgood said the cost of Phase One is approximately $1 million and is totally funded. She gave credit to the many supporters of Menorah Park to make this happen, specifically principal donors, the Pomeranz/Shankman/Martin Charitable Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Legacy Heritage Fund, Wendy Meyerson and Andrew Fox, the J. Jeffrey Solomon Community Fund (sons Neal and Phillip in honor of J. Jeffrey Solomon ), Paul and Kathleen Solomon, the Jerome L. and Arlene Gerber Family Foundation, Health Direct, the Leonard and Irwin Kamp Foundation, and the Auxiliary of Menorah Park.
Menorah Park Board President Mark Schulman said, “I want to thank those who have already contributed toward the Center for Healthy Living and ask for the support of our entire community. Menorah Park serves the whole community and needs everyone’s support to continue providing our important services.”
For more information about Menorah Park, visit MenorahParkofCNY.com.
