Architects and project engineers turned the earth together March 19 with sisters: pictured from left to right are Sandy Barker and Daren Wagoner of Barker & Wagoner Assoc.; Ken Huesby and Bart Locsin of Hillhouse Construction; Gabriela Silva, Barker & Wagoner; Congregational Prioress Dominican Sr. Gloria Marie Jones; Tina Irvin and John Kellerby, Hillhouse; and Motherhouse Administrator Dominican Sr. Rose Marie Hennessy. (Courtesy of Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose)
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Something new to address aging is taking shape in northern California. Looking toward an innovative model of healthy age-in-place and community hospitality, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose broke ground this week in Fremont, Calif., on a new residence for themselves. This opens the way for their existing Siena building to be re-purposed as a dementia-specific community health and wellness center for the people of Fremont.
The $20 million project includes a 36-unit residence for active retired sisters and a community wellness center that will provide services not only to them but also to the wider community. Additionally the existing Siena building will be renovated to become a day-time memory care unit operated by Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay. The ASEB program will serve adults, veterans and low-income families living in the area. It is expected to open this fall.
[Colleen Dunne is an NCR Bertelsen intern. Her email address is cdunne@ncronline.org, or follow her on Twitter @coldun14.]
Editor's Note: The National Catholic Reporter is embarking on a groundbreaking project to give greater voice to sisters around the world. To learn more about this project or sign up for email alerts visit, http://ncronline.org/sisters.
