To Rebuild Nikkei Senior Facilities in SoCal

Keiro Nursing Home, a nonprofit senior facility, existed until January 2016. It was owned and funded by the Nikkei Community. It was located in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles. The nursing home offered such unique services as Japanese foods and NHK TV programs. But best of all was the tradition of nurses’ running to the bedside of a resident in pain or discomfort. This tradition was an enormous asset for the facility. It brought a truly desirable situation with no foul smell, no screaming by residents out of anger or desperation, and very few pressure ulcers which quickly healed with swift and proper treatment. Because of such care, the facility enjoyed a reputation as the best in the United States for a long time.

Keiro Nursing Home was founded in 1969 by community leaders such as Fred Isamu Wada and several other Niseis. They wanted to have a facility in the Nikkei Community which would give culturally sensitive and thoughtful care to Isseis who had survived the internment camps during World War II. Three other facilities were later added, including the retirement home. The Nikkei Community of Southern California wholeheartedly supported the 4 facilities through more than half century of fundraising and volunteering.

However, in February 2016, Keiro’s 4 facilities were sold to a profit-making company. At the time of the sale, the California State Attorney General stipulated that the culturally sensitive care at the 4 facilities continue for the next 5 years. However, even before the expiration of the guaranteed period, changes began to take place. Changes in foods and in nursing care for example. Also beds available for low income seniors under MediCal coverage were gradually reduced.

Since the sale, Koreisha Senior Care & Advocacy has been advocating for nonprofit senior facilities of high quality to be rebuilt in the Southern California Nikkei Community . We need facilities that will offer oka-yu (rice porridge) to residents when they are ill. Our goal is to rebuild facilities where the well-to-do and the not-so-fortunate individuals can peacefully and securely live together.

We sincerely ask for your generous support so that we may together achieve our goal.

ロスアンゼルスに２０１６年１月まであった非営利の日系高齢者施設「敬老ホーム」には、日本食や NHKテレビだけでなく、たくさんの特色がありました。中でも、入居中の高齢者がどこか痛くて呼ぶと、看護師がベッドサイドまで走るという介護の伝統は、大切な財産でした。その結果、悪臭がない、怒りや不満の叫び声がない、床ずれはできても直ぐ治る、という特長が得られ、それが全米一の看護ホームという評価に繋がりました。

この敬老ホームは、第二次世界大戦中の日系人強制収容を体験した一世の苦労に報いようとしたフレッド和田勇さんら二世有志により１９６９年に設立され、その後、引退者ホームを含む４施設に発展しました。これらの施設を、日系社会は募金やボランティア活動によって全面的にサポートしていたのです。

しかしながら、２０１６年２月、４施設が営利会社に売却される、という事態を迎えました。売却時、カリフォルニア州司法長官は、旧敬老ホームでの日本文化に基づくケアの継続を５年間保証しましたが、その保証期間が切れる以前から食事の面でもでも介護の面でも、日本文化とはおよそ程遠い状態が現われてきていました。メディキャルという低所得高齢者の保険に頼って入居する人たちのためのスペースも、徐々に狭（せば）められました。

敬老ホーム売却以来、私たち「高齢者を守る会」は、優れた非営利の日系看護施設を再建するため、運動を続けて参りました。施設が、「姥捨て山」であってはなりません。気分の良くない人には、暖かいオカユを提供できるような施設が、今も将来も必要です。豊かな人も、またそうでない人も安心して暮らせる、そんな施設の再建を私たちは目指しています。　

皆様からの暖かいご支援を切にお願い申し上げます。