SWAMPSCOTT — The Jewish Rehabilitation Center plans to relocate most of its operations to a proposed $40 million building at the site of Peabody's Woodbridge Assisted Living on Lynnfield Street.
"It will be a modern facility that truly meets the needs of an aging population," said Stephen Neff, president of the Aviv Centers for Living, which oversees the 180-bed facility.
The move likely wouldn't come until 2013, however, leaving current patients unaffected in the near future.
"We will hold onto the Swampscott property," Neff said. "We intend to have a strong presence in Swampscott."
Thus far, no decision has been made regarding the specifics of that presence, he said. "We're studying what the needs are."
The Swampscott Jewish Rehabilitation Center for the Aged of the North Shore is self-described as a nursing home. It currently includes semi-private rooms and a day care facility for roughly 60 people per day. Decades old, the building is on six acres of land. By contrast, the proposed new center would boast 19 acres and state-of-the-art accommodations, including 144 beds.
"The new facility will have mostly private rooms," Neff said.
Clearly, the move would give the center still more room for expansion. That might very well be needed in an era of dramatic change, with the numbers of seniors rapidly increasing, Neff said. "The population that we're seeing is older and frailer."
The decision to move has been announced at this early date because the process of winning approval from the state can last more than a year.
"The state is looking at all the data," Neff said. "We are looking at dropping a shovel in 2011."
The decision to retain the facility in Swampscott reflects the wishes of local residents, Neff indicated. "There is an overwhelming desire for us to maintain a presence in Swampscott."
The financial impact on town revenues of the JRC's departure would be minimal, Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said. Beyond that, he added, "They're an essential member of the community. The loss will be felt. We look forward to having a discussion with them."
"I'd be sorry to see them go just for the sake of our residents," said Selectman Jill Sullivan, who noted the convenience of having such an asset readily accessible. "It's a wonderful amenity."
The center is supported mainly by government programs like Medicare, patient insurance and out-of-pocket payments.
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
