It’s a project that was almost 20 years in the making, but Our Parents’ Home, a seniors housing complex that caters to the needs of the Jewish community between Winnipeg and Vancouver, welcomed its first residents last week.
Located in downtown Edmonton at the corner of Jasper Avenue and 119th Street, plans for the 14-storey highrise facility began in 1996.
“About 19 years ago, a group of people realized that there was no provision for the Jewish seniors in the community there,” explained Lesley Jacobson, a volunteer with Our Parents’ Home.
“Edmonton has a small Jewish community of about 5,500 people, and Calgary has about 1,000 more. We have schools, we have synagogues, we have Jewish federations and all the other trappings of a community, but nothing for our seniors,” Jacobson said.
“We realized that they were scattered across the city. Some of them were the only Jewish people in their facility. They didn’t get to see another Jewish person, except for their family or a visiting rabbi. There was no kosher food for them, there was no one who shared their background.”
She said a group of Jewish volunteers decided that they wanted to fill that gap in the Jewish community.
“They decided they would look to build something that could be ‘aging in place.’ If someone could no longer maintain their home, or they wanted to downsize, they could go to a place where they wouldn’t have to move again.”
Jacobson said they formed an organization called Beit Horim, Hebrew for Our Parents’ Home. They began by raising funds and doing some research.
“About 10 years ago, they raised enough money and they purchased an apartment building that they were going to renovate. That was during boom time in Alberta,” she said.“It got to the point where there were zero rental properties available in the city… And while we were sitting on this building, someone came along and offered us more than twice what we paid for it. So we sold it.”
About three years ago, they purchased a piece of land next to the Beth Shalom Synagogue on Jasper Avenue, and construction began in late 2012, with an estimated $30-million price tag, $6 million of which is coming from the province.
Building costs have since escalated, but Jacobson declined to say by how much, and fundraising is ongoing.
“On the main floor, we have some commercial spaces, a kosher kitchen, dining room and reception area. On the second floor, we have administration, a fitness room, offices, a boardroom, library etc. The third and fourth floors have what they call supported living for [people with] dementia. On the third and fourth floors, we have secure floors for memory care residents. On the fifth floor we have supported living that is not secure, just for people who need supportive living, according to Albert Health Services,” Jacobson said, adding that they are also provided with kosher meals and snacks.
In addition to 50 spaces for supported living, there are eight floors in the building for 80 one- and two-bedroom independent living units that are available for rent.
“Included in their rent is a minimum of 20 meals per month and all the services. They can access health care, they get all their programs, fitness classes, utilities – everything is included in their rent.”
The monthly fees range from $1,860 for the supported living units to around $3,000 for the two-bedroom units.
Although there are still units available, Jacobson said she expects the building to fill up within the next few months.
“We’ve really gone to great pains to make people feel like they’re living in a boutique hotel,” she said.
“There is no other Jewish seniors facility with a kosher kitchen and care component in Saskatchewan or Alberta, so we’re excited that we can offer this service to the community.”
For more information, visit www.ourparentshome.com/home.
