State-of-the-art Upham’s adult day health center set to open in Dudley Square

The Upham’s Corner Health Committee will host the opening of its new Adult Day Health Center this Saturday at 36 Dearborn Street in Roxbury, close to Orchard Gardens, Dudley Square and the revitalized Dudley Street corridor. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for April 26, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

A number of local elected officials and dignitaries have confirmed their participation, including state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and City Councilor-at-Large Michael F. Flaherty. The grand opening will feature a ribbon cutting, tours of the facility and a reception.

Approximately $1.7 million has been invested to renovate the facility, which features over 10,000 square feet of accessible space for social activities, meals, personal care and a full range of clinical services, including primary medical care, nursing and rehabilitation therapies. The newly expanded space emphasizes rehabilitation and programming targeted at those with cognitive limitations.

The new Adult Day Health Center will serve older adults enrolled in the Upham’s Elder Service Plan, a PACE program operated by the Upham’s Corner Health Center since 1996. PACE — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly — is a national model of comprehensive community-based care for older adults at risk for nursing home placement. The Upham’s Elder Service Plan is open to any eligible adult 55 years of age or older.

Current participants in the Elder Service Plan PACE Center, located at 1140 Dorchester Avenue in the Savin Hill neighborhood of Dorchester, are low-income and hail from a variety of countries, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cape Verde and Haiti. Elder Service Plan personnel are multilingual, enabling them to communicate with participants in their native languages. With the addition of the new site, the Upham’s Elder Service Plan will be able to serve more than 300 vulnerable older adults, helping them to live at home and providing needed support to their caregivers.

For more information on enrolling in the Upham’s Elder Service Plan, please call Maria Barbosa-Freire at 617-288-0970, ext. 16.