ICHS Foundation hosts a walkthrough of the future Ron Chew Healthy Aging and Wellness Center site
Cai Zeng, ICHS Enrollment and Marketing Coordinator leads a tour of the ICHS Ron Chew Healthy Aging & Wellness Center site on September 23, 2024.
On September 23, 2024, the International Community Health Services (ICHS) Foundation held an event to celebrate a milestone in the capital campaign for the Ron Chew Healthy Aging & Wellness Center.
Many of the campaign’s first and staunchest supporters, community and private partners, and elected officials gathered together for a hard-hat tour of the newly constructed ‘shell’ space of the facility, located on Beacon Hill in the newly constructed Beacon Pacific Village.
"The future now feels closer than ever before — our dream of a new, state-of-the-art senior care facility that will quadruple our capacity to provide wraparound care to frail, low income seniors," said Kelli Nomura, ICHS CEO. “I would like to acknowledge and thank our elected officials who joined us here today for your support and for the investment that has been made for this project by King County and the City of Seattle.”
Growing to meet a critical need
The U.S. Census estimates nearly 25% of King County’s total population will be 65 years or older by 2040 — up from about 18%.
According to Aging King County, approximately 13% of people over age 65 in King County have limited English proficiency and, as King County grows increasingly diverse, it will be important to address social connectivity in ways that are culturally relevant and linguistically inclusive.
ICHS’ new Ron Chew Healthy Aging & Wellness Center will deliver comprehensive, affordable wraparound services, maximize quality of life for families, and keep our community elders healthy by meeting individual patients' healthcare needs in one place.
Leeching Tran, ICHS Foundation Board President speaks with ICHS Foundation’s attendees during a program gathering in the Pacific Tower Panoramic Center before the tours began.
The event brought together advocates to continue to collaborate on completing the capital campaign.
“Today, this is a day for you to see — what you helped create,” said Nomura.
Hear from one of ICHS’ senior care participants
One of the special speakers of the event was a senior patient who shared on video what his experience of ICHS’ PACE services are like.
Having lived in the Seattle area for decades, Tupu became disabled after a work injury and his health declined as he found himself more and more isolated.
After enrolling in ICHS’ PACE program, he is receiving the help he needs. A care team provides him culturally competent health services, transportation to and from home, and a vibrant community at ICHS Legacy House.
PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) is a nationally-recognized model of care that enables low-income, nursing-home eligible adults to live independently at home or in the community.
His health is improving and “I’m living the life,” he says smiling.
Watch and learn why Tupu loves ICHS PACE by clicking the image below.
For more information on how to support the campaign to complete the Healthy Aging and Wellness Center, please visit our website https://www.ichs.com/hawc
View a full photo gallery of photos at the event on ICHS' Facebook page.