Recently, The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University released its “The State of the Nation’s Housing 2020” report. Overall, the report paints a distressing portrait of senior housing affordability in the United States for low-income older adults.
The number of households headed by those aged 65 and older is increasing more quickly than any other age group, increasing by almost one million households each year between 2014 and 2019. Of the nation’s 33 million older-adult households, more than five million are characterized as severely cost burdened.
Built on 125 years of senior housing solutions
Embrace Living Communities understands the challenges many seniors face when it comes to obtaining affordable housing, and the organization has advanced its mission over 125 years to ensure it can help more seniors find affordable, welcoming homes in communities that embrace living.
“This need we see in senior housing continues to grow, and there is an overall lack of resources to help those who need it most,” says Ralph Gaines, Chief Executive Officer. “We have been dedicated to helping solve this crisis through our residences, programs and operational processes, and this is only possible through the tremendous work of our staff, leadership and partners.”
A team led by passion
“It starts with the quality and passion of the employees,” explains Scott Meyer, Chairman of the Board. “They are the ones who make the overall experience for residents special, whether it’s the care they give to the seniors or the upkeep of the properties themselves.”
“Our employees have always been resilient in all that they do,” says Ralph. “The staff here has done an extraordinary job when it comes to taking care of our residents. This has never been more true than this year with COVID-19.”
As reported across news outlets throughout the year, the global pandemic hit especially hard at senior care homes. “The staff had to deal with a situation they had never experienced before,” says Ralph. “They put protocols in place quickly when the pandemic first hit and have remained diligent in all they do for the physical and mental well-being of our residents. It’s a testament to their tireless work that we have been able to keep our rate of risk and infection very low.”
Because of the outstanding work and dedication of the overall Embrace Living team during the past year, the organization is positioned for greater success in the future that will allow for further team development, staff growth and protocols to strengthen its position in the senior housing community.
Proven leadership
To further bring innovative solutions forward, a team must also have a balance of leaders who have grown within the system and have institutional knowledge of the organization, as well as leaders from the outside that bring a new perspective. Overall, the Embrace Living leadership team has over 100 years of dedication and compassion to bringing new and innovative ideas to senior living communities where people of all backgrounds and abilities can enjoy a healthier, more secure life.
“We brought Ralph onboard as CEO this past April due to his strong background and proven leadership in senior housing,” says Scott. “Along with other recent additions and changes to the leadership team, we feel that we are in a better position now than ever before to achieve and expand on our mission.”
Stepping up to support seniors
The final piece to ensure ongoing growth and success is outstanding supporters. “We know that many of the people we partner with and who support our mission are going through their own challenges right now,” says Ralph. “But they continue to step up to assist us with finding funding to continue our work and impact, knowing the need is so great and will continue.”
It is this type of support that will help strengthen Embrace Living’s support programs for its residents. “A long-time donor provided funds that will allow us to better support our residents’ wellness and make this a long-term strategy for our organization,” says Ralph. Embrace Living launched a new campaign on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, to support the program, along with additional campaigns that will take place throughout 2021 to benefit programming and services for senior residents to ensure they receive the housing and support required during COVID-19 and beyond.
“Embrace Living has shown its dedication to providing seniors affordable housing for more than a century,” says Scott. “We want to continue to be a part of the solution, and those who support us know we can make this happen when we all work together.”
Expanding solutions to a growing challenge
Looking forward, the health and safety of residents and staff remains the number one priority while establishing a solid foundation to meet the needs and demands in senior housing that continue to grow. “The quality of our staff and communities are second to none,” says Scott. “Embrace Living has a growing waitlist, and that says a lot about the need out there and the job the team is doing to meet these ongoing demands.”
It’s that dedication that keeps Embrace Living in high regard with The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a U.S. government agency that supports community development and homeownership. “We continue to be recognized as a world-class organization and a great place to work, and we take tremendous pride in that,” says Scott.
“We have exceptional programs and processes in place that keep our communities at the highest standards,” says Ralph. “We look to expand our own physical footprint while also partnering with existing senior living residences who can take advantage of our property management and social service solutions.”
How you can further support the mission
Embrace Living Communities is bound together by its service to others and to those who support its mission to develop and manage affordable housing that strengthens communities and ensures active seniors of all backgrounds and abilities are welcomed.
If you are interested in learning more about the organization and want to help support the mission, please visit: https://embraceliving.org/support-our-communities/
Feel free to contact us for any future resident, current resident, or general inquiries.
