Rebekah Residences to offer a new way of senior living
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
Rebekah Residences, a 100
percent Medicaid enriched
housing/assisted living facility
at 1050 Havermeyer Avenue
should be completed by this
summer at the Rebekah Rehab
and Extended Care in Castle
Hill.
Unlike other assisted living
facilities, this new 56-unit
building will be one of the fi rst
to accept Medicaid, said Kenneth
Gelb, the organization’s
CEO.
This is an important step
for the organization that will
let it accommodate all kinds
of people requiring services
from the borough community,
he said.
“We wanted to have a program
that would be able to
support those that are unable
to live at home independently,
but those who do not necessarily
need a nursing home,” said
Gelb.
Rebekah Rehab submitted
an application to the NYS Department
of Health to create
a project, known as ALP, for
those who qualify for Medicaid.
DOH provided a $6.5 million
grant for the project, which cost
A rendering of Rebekah Rehab’s new assisted living building that is currently under construction on their
Castle Hill campus. Photo coutesy of Rebekah Rehab
approximately $16.25 million.
The Rebekah Residences
project got underway in January
2018, said Gelb.
Units like those at the ALP
enriched housing are beginning
to fi ll a crucial void in elder
care programming for the
Medicaid eligible, with Gelb
telling the Bronx Times that
New York state is starting to
develop programs that include
Medicaid enriched housing.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,44 APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2019 BTR
Currently, Gelb estimates
there are only a handful of
such units in the borough, he
said.
“I would think as the baby
boomers are aging there is going
to be a signifi cant need for
this kind of model,” said Gelb,
adding it is a way that older
people can age in place.
ALP is based on a supportive
residential model that suits
the senior’s housing needs,
both fostering independence
and providing support when
needed.
The units in the new 48,000
square foot building will feature
handicapped accessible
bathrooms and kitchenettes
with microwaves.
“They are all self-contained
studio apartments,” said Gelb.
The building contains common
areas including lounges
and a dining room where meals
will be served.
The services offered to the
residents will include meals,
housekeeping, personal care,
recreation and activities.
Individual plans of care will
be developed that should help
foster the conditions that lead
to physical, social and mental
wellness, with physicians visiting
the building regularly.
Those living at the new
building will also have the opportunity
to participate in the
programs that are open to all
of the residents on Rebekah Rehab’s
campus, like an intergenerational
program and senior
centers.
Gelb said that he foresees
most of the residents of the new
building being over 65.
Those who are interested
in Rebekah Residences should
contact Catherine Cieri and
fi nd out more about the program,
said Gelb.
Call (718) 863-6200 ext. 1124
for more information about Rebekah
Residences.