Fun and stimulating activities are part of the program at the Brandman Centers for Senior Care. (photo courtesy of LAJHealth)

Los Angeles Jewish Health held a grand opening ceremony on Nov. 15 for the second of its Brandman Centers for Senior Care, located at 9800 Pico Blvd.

The center will serve adults ages 55 and older who live in the greater Los Angeles area, south of the Santa Monica Mountains. Los Angeles Jewish Health also operates a similar center at 7150 Tampa Ave. in Reseda., serving people in the San Fernando Valley.

The new center gives older adults an opportunity to receive resources and services while staying in their homes. In addition to full-service medical and health care, the centers offer activities and socialization, which are key to preserving quality of life for older adults, said Susie Fishenfeld, vice president of the Brandman Centers for Senior Care.

“It’s really all-inclusive. It’s everything that you would want. We want to allow seniors to remain living independently in their home or their community with our support,” Fishenfeld said. “Our goal is to coordinate their care, keep them out of the hospital and keep them healthy and safe.”

The new center offers PACE – the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. Participants in the program receive free transportation to and from their residences, as well as rides and accompaniment by an escort to appointments. Medical and specialty care is offered along with behavioral health services, physical therapy, adult day health care, meals, nutrition resources and activities. Dental services and oral care are available onsite, as well as specialty services including podiatry, optometry, wound care and audiology for those with hearing loss. The center also offers 24-hour access to medical services and care through a hotline.

“When you put it all together like that, who wouldn’t want it,” Fishenfeld said. “We really do it all for them, we coordinate it all for them. It’s just amazing the coordination that we can do for the participants, their families and caregivers.”

The new center was created in a 15,000-square-foot building that formerly housed a bank branch. The space can accommodate up to 500 participants, or approximately 150 visiting on different days of the week. Fishenfeld said most participants come to the center an average of two times per week.

The senior care program is offered through the California Department of Health Care Services, and participants are primarily lower income Medical and Medicare recipients, Fishenfeld said. Participants must first be approved by the state.

“Like any other health plan, we submit the enrollment material to the state and if the state says enroll them, we enroll them the first of the month. It can be any month, not just at the end of the year like the other health plans,” Fishenfeld said. “It’s a voluntary program, so they can disenroll at any time. But I will be honest with you, most people don’t. We’ve had people enrolled in our program in the Valley for 10 years.”

PACE is a vital program of Los Angeles Jewish Health, a nonprofit health system founded in 1912 that cares for 4,000 seniors each year. For information, call (844)952-7223, or visit brandmanseniorcare.org and lajhealth.org.