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When United HomeCare® (UHC) board members, our elected officials and business leaders gathered at a construction site near West Kendall Baptist Hospital on January 24th, they witnessed the beginning of a transformation to the landscape of assisted living in Miami.On that day, the UHC team welcomed our volunteers, our business and industry partners to celebrate the groundbreaking for The Residences of United HomeCare. Already taking shape around them was a 122-suite assisted living community where seniors from all walks of life will live in beautiful surroundings, count on exceptional care and also be part of a unique new model of more accessible, more affordable care.
For the first time in our 40-year history of providing quality-of-life solutions as one of South Florida’s leading home health and community care organizations, UHC is expanding to the assisted living arena. In fact, we have set out on a truly ambitious mission with The Residences of United HomeCare – one that we hope will inspire others in the industry.
The structure we are building is founded on a unique, sustainable business model that will make this community available to a wide range of elderly residents, including those of modest means. The people we care for here will enjoy life with dignity, independence and respect.
Our team and board members at United HomeCare began planning for this day four years ago. Our vision from the beginning was and remains to create a place that is appealing and accessible to seniors, regardless of income level – a place that offers seniors an outstanding “home-like” environment that allows them to receive the assistance they need and remain independent as long as possible. We are committed to demonstrating the feasibility of offering superior value in a senior living community while remaining cost competitive and financially sustainable.
We are also committed to advancing the art and science of assisted living care through academic and institutional affiliations. The Residences of United HomeCare will serve as a teaching assisted living residence for medical professionals and care workers to promote best practices. This commitment to teaching is shared across our organization. Just recently UHC was proud to become the first home care organization in Florida to be designated as a teaching agency for home and community-based care by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
When we open our doors in West Kendall this fall, the new senior living community will not only increase the availability of full-service assisted living accommodations in our area with 122 spacious studios and one-bedroom private units in a four-story structure, but will also provide a full spectrum of onsite care, including 24/7 access to medical and nursing staff and a team of trained, licensed and certified professionals, as well as upscale features and amenities.Reflecting back on our beginnings as a division of the United Way, UHC’s mission has always been to help families care for their elderly and disabled relatives in the comfort of home-like settings that allow them to preserve their independence. Fast-forward 40 years and we remain committed to serving the frail and vulnerable population as an independent non-profit, licensed and certified home health agency. On a daily basis, our team promotes independence and wellness among nearly 5,000 of our elderly neighbors in Miami-Dade County. The key to our success has been our ability to recognize and address the changes that have taken place in our community’s home health care system and the seniors we serve.
Looking ahead, we see our elderly and disabled population continuing to grow in size, average age and in the complexity of their healthcare needs. More people are living with chronic health conditions and in need of assistance. Likewise, more family caregivers are in need of our support. As we continue to evolve with the ever changing health care landscape, we are excited to provide another choice to those we currently serve and others who seek a high-quality, full-service assisted living community where they can thrive with the peace of mind of always having access to the high-caliber care services for which UHC is renowned.
