IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — A new senior living community is opening soon in the Town of Irondequoit.  The hope is it will help older adults age in place and avoid the need for a nursing home down the line.

“Ellen’s Place” is an independent living development that will open to seniors this fall.  It’s located behind St. Cecilia Church in East Irondequoit and will consist of 74 apartments, health and wellness programs, a café, community kitchen and a fitness area. 

On Tuesday, Congressman Joe Morelle announced a $1 million federal grant to help support the project. 

Research shows that older adults who stay in their own home, have access to basic needs and health care and are surrounded by friends and family are able to stay healthier and age in place longer.    

Barbara Petro has lived in Irondequoit for decades. “There have been a lot of life changes in the last two years, including losing my beloved husband of 40 years,” she says. That’s why she’s planning to move into Ellen’s Place, which will be located along Culver Road, “I want to continue to live in this area, I have family and many friends in this community,” Petro explains.

“I think you want to slow down the amount of time, or avoid all together, skilled nursing facilities,” says Rep. Joe Morelle. “They’re critically important for people who need that level of care, but many people don’t need the full measure of services that you’d have at a skilled nursing facility.” 

Quite frankly, there just aren’t enough skilled nursing facilities available for the number of people who need them, either. That’s why the federal government is investing in models like Ellen’s Place.

“It saves in terms of tax dollars — but also improves, pretty dramatically, the quality of life for people who live here,” says Rep. Morelle. 

It’s part of a long-term solution, but what about the crisis happening now with the shortage of nursing home beds? 

Jennifer Lewke (News10NBC):  “I know a lot of it comes down to the state and the Medicaid reimbursement rate but on a federal level, what are you looking at, if anything?”

Rep. Joe Morelle:  “Well, it does come, in large part, to the state and the way we’ve sort of divided responsibilities … the truth is that the state, in my view, has not done enough to support those skilled nursing facilities, places like the Episcopal Home, St. Ann’s, St. John’s, Jewish Senior Life. And quite frankly, we gave billions of dollars during the pandemic under the American Rescue Plan and I hoped they were going to use, the state would use more of that for Medicaid than they did.” 

Jennifer Lewke:  “Do people come to you and say. ‘Congressman, I can’t find anywhere for my loved one and I don’t know what to do?'”

Rep. Joe Morelle: “There’s no question, and you really want to make sure that you’re maintaining high quality and so, you can only do that if you have adequate staff.”

As state lawmakers continue to look for ways to ease the burden, centers like “Ellen’s Place” continue to pop-up.

“If and how we keep people and allow people to stay at home and in this type of community as long as possible, that’s really the goal,” says Lisa Marcello, president of Episcopal SeniorLife Communities. 

For more information about Ellen’s Place:  https://episcopalseniorlife.org/communities/ellens-place/