Monroe Township, NJ – Ground was broken yesterday for a new 96-bed skilled nursing care residence at 395 Schoolhouse Road in Monroe Township.
This groundbreaking marks the next chapter in The Francis E. Parker Memorial Home’s 106 year history of providing the ultimate in personalized, affordable, high-quality, long-term care services in Central New Jersey. The new nursing care residence, Parker at Monroe, will continue this tradition of excellent care.
The ceremony commenced with a welcome from Donna Lazartic, Chief Resource Officer at Parker Home, and acknowledgment of the 40 guests in attendance. Roberto Muñiz, President & CEO of Parker Home, then took the podium to share Parker’s long history and continued vision to grow and serve more individuals in need of long-term care services. With a large focus on providing individualized and compassionate care in home-like settings, Parker at Monroe will, like all Parker communities, be guided by the Eden Alternative™, a philosophy of person-centered care that embraces aging as a natural stage of life. Mr. Muñiz stated, “Consistent with Parker’s tradition of providing the highest quality affordable care, Parker at Monroe has been designed as a very unique senior living, long-term care residence.”
Clifford Holland, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, reflected on Parker Home’s commitment to being a responsible and gracious neighbor, as well as an ongoing and trusted resource for the Monroe community. Supporting that statement, Mr. Holland announced, “More than half of the 28-acre site has been donated by Parker Home to Monroe Township in an effort to preserve the natural beauty of the wooded and wetland habitats.”
William Conroy, Deputy Commissioner of Health for the New Jersey Department of Health, applauded Parker Home for recognizing the great need for skilled care for the senior population in Monroe Township. Conroy added, “I am sure that Monroe Township is grateful for Parker’s contributions and will embrace them in the community.”
After a moving invocation from Parker’s Pastoral Associate, Sister Ann Casserly, the groundbreaking team took their post. Donning hard hats and holding shovels, Mr. Muñiz, Mr. Holland, Ms. Lazartic and Mr. Conroy, were joined by John Riggs, Department of Planning for Monroe Township; William Tibbit, Chairman, Parker at Monroe Task Force; James Brecker, Jr., Chairman, Irwin & Leighton, Inc.; and Steven Leone, Principal, Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc.
Concluding the ceremony was William Tibbitt, who emphasized how truly unique Parker at Monroe is, in that it was planned and designed by the people who will live and work in the home. It is the hope that this new model of senior living will serve as an example of an environment that fully supports its residents, and inspire the community.
About Parker at Monroe
Parker at Monroe will provide residents of Monroe Township and Middlesex County the opportunity to remain in their communities, staying closely connected to families and friends as they age. The Monroe site was selected based on research demonstrating a strong and growing need for high-quality, affordable care services for the aging population in this area. Consistent with those findings, Parker presently provides care for many Monroe residents at its current locations, while maintaining a large waiting list with more than 500 individuals from Monroe Township and surrounding communities.
Parker at Monroe will provide skilled care and memory support in innovative village-style homes, each to have a welcoming porch and front door entry. The homes will have a choice of individual or shared resident suites, each with a shower in a fully accessible bathroom — and will be anchored to a larger common area, giving residents and guests easy access to community-wide social events, casual and formal dining venues, fitness and rehabilitation services, and roof-top terrace gardens.
A strong steward for this property, Parker Home shares the township’s commitment to maintaining and preserving open space, while selectively using open land to directly benefit residents. Consistent with Parker’s newest developments, their award-winning architects are employing green design practices. Construction will be sustainable and energy efficient, employing the latest building technology to ensure ease of operation, service and maintenance.
It is expected that Parker at Monroe will have up to 150 full and part-time employees dedicated to serving this community. Continuing in Parker’s long tradition of community support, Parker at Monroe will provide extensive opportunities for on-site continuing education, college internships and inter-generational volunteerism, as well as, free caregiver support programs and community health fairs. Parker will create affiliations with local hospitals and health care providers to expand the level of aging services available in the community.
Parker at Monroe is scheduled to open in late Fall 2014.