Unique Nursing Home for The Workmen’s Circle

Artist's rendering of the planned Village for Healthcare and Rehabilitation

The Workmen's Circle organization celebrated the recent opening of the development office for their uniquely-designed elder care facility in Freehold Township.

When it opens, the Village for Healthcare and Rehabilitation will provide residency for over 150 seniors, mostly from the Workmen's Circle own membership. The Workmen's Circle decided to build a new facility for the Jewish communities in Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean Counties over ten years ago, as much of their membership moved southward from the original site in Edison.

"This won't be like other elder care facilities," said Dr. Martin Krepnick, chairman of the board of the Village. "There will be no long hallways, or food trays, or awkward nurse's stations. The residents will live in homes with private bedrooms, shared kitchens, living rooms and dining areas with about fifteen other adults."

The design will also include ample access to the outdoors for all residents-even 32 of whom will be in a self-contained facility-and the Workman's Circle has emphasized preserving the trees and landscape currently on the site. The unique nursing home will also be completely kosher, and offer Jewish cultural and religious activities to residents.

"This facility will provide the highest level of care because it reflects the Workman's Circle mission," Krepnick explained. "We create a family atmosphere and value our staff very much, because that is the core of our own group's philosophy."

The Workmen's Circle was created in 1900 by Jewish immigrants to protect workers and increase benefits packages; it went onto foster camps, nursing homes, and community centers. As the organization grew, Krepnick said, it began to focus more on social-justice issues, and its new nursing home design fits into those interests.

Krepnick said the opening of the development office was an important step forward, and with continued fundraising the construction could begin as soon as November, 2009. The facility will be at 105 Gibson Place, near Route 33.