Saint Francis Hospital cuts ribbon on first Delaware Life Center

Many seniors in New Castle County will have the opportunity for more independent living thanks to the opening of the Saint Francis Life (living independently for seniors) center in downtown Wilmington.

Wilmington, New Castle County and Delaware state officials as well as health care professionals were on hand for the official ribbon cutting of the facility located at the Shipyard Center on the Wilmington Riverfront.

The facility will provide health and social services to approximately 200 seniors in the nearby Wilmington area, making it easier for seniors to live at home and travel to an all-inclusive facility for care.

“This program is one more example of how Saint Francis Healthcare provides a compassionate healing presence in our community by providing state-of-the-art person-centered healthcare services and by providing a complete medical help and social care in a centralized location as well as in the participant’s home,” said Julie Hester, president and CEO of St. Francis Healthcare. “Life will enable older adults to live independently, which I think is so important and with attention to their total health in every person that we serve.”

Governor Jack Markell spoke at the ceremony and praised Saint Francis for their senior care initiatives.

“Hubert Humphrey once said, ‘The greatness of a nation is measured how we treat those in the dawn of life, the dusk of life and the shadow of life, the very young, the very old, those who cannot care for themselves.’ That’s what this place is all about.”

The facility is a one stop shop for an array of medical care services including dental, vision and hearing. Patients also receive help with nutrition and meals, medical equipment and prescriptions. Transportation is provided to residents and home health services are also available.  

According to Rita Landgraf, secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, one of the biggest requests from seniors in the state is the ability to have health services that accommodate independent home living.

“Their number one priority was to be able to age in place with dignity and support and they don’t want to feel isolated in their homes which many times happen to our senior population,” said Landgraf. “This Life center actually will provide them with the opportunity to remain in home, in their own communities, but also give them the opportunity to come to a center where they’ll be taken care of relative to their medical needs, where transportation will be reliable and where they’ll also get the social integration and social services. So whatever they need to ensure that they can remain in their homes within the community, we’ll be able to provide that for them.”

The center will start seeing patients in January.