New face of public housing

Flanked by representatives from state and local government, 85-year-old Conswiller B. Pratt cut the yellow ribbon in front of the senior apartment building named in her honor Friday morning.

The Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Conswiller B. Pratt Apartment Building is on the site of the Greater Grays Ferry Estates, a low-income housing development at 3001 Moore St. The 40-acre site was previously occupied by Tasker Homes, where Pratt was an original tenant and community activist.

The 72-unit Pratt Apartments represent the new trend in public housing for seniors: the benefits of medical care and social activities, all without leaving home.

PHA partnered with St. Agnes Medical Center to offer those services through the center’s comprehensive, long-term senior-care program known as LIFE (Living Independently For Elders), which occupies the first floor of the new building.

Through the program, St. Agnes doctors and healthcare administrators will provide medical and social services to lower-income residents of the Pratt building as well as those in a 10 ZIP-code radius, including all of South Philly and the surrounding areas.

The first St. Agnes LIFE Center opened at 1500 Columbus Blvd. in October 1998.

"With the support of [the Department of Housing and Urban Development] and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, this collaboration offers an exciting opportunity to deliver needed services to the affordable-housing community," said PHA executive director Carl Greene.

At Friday’s ceremony, Greene introduced a dozen guest speakers from state and local government, as well as St. Agnes Continuing Care Center president and CEO Dr. James Flowers.

"The LIFE program provides peace of mind to the older adult and their family," Flowers said. "The opening of a LIFE facility demonstrates our continuing commitment to the community."

CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT Anna Verna, Councilwoman and PHA Commissioner Jannie Blackwell, state Sen. Anthony Williams, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and District Attorney Lynne Abraham gave opening remarks. Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare Estelle Richman and Secretary of Aging Nora Dowd Eisenhower also attended the event.

Pointing out the needs of the senior community, Verna praised the comprehensive PHA project.

"Seniors are the largest-growing population," she said. "We need to make sure our senior citizens have access to affordable housing."

PHA demolished Tasker Homes in 2002 to clear the way for Greater Grays Ferry Estates. The first phase was completed in November and includes 245 residences, 72 of which are in the Pratt building.

All but three of the senior apartments were rented as of Friday. The first residents began occupying the units in January and the LIFE Center opened in February.

The remaining homes completed in the first phase also were rented, said PHA spokesperson Kirk Dorn.

The second phase, still under construction, will add another 309 units.

The first phase cost $165 million, including $10 million for the Pratt building and St. Agnes facility. Federal funding made the venture possible, said Greene.

Ironically, Conswiller B. Pratt is not a resident of the building that bears her name, preferring instead to live in her own home on the 1400 block of South Patton Street. Those who do live in the one-bedroom apartments have amenities such as state-of-the-art kitchens with dishwashers and garbage disposals, wall-to-wall carpeting and air-conditioning. Seniors can use a common lounge area on each floor.

The building features a security system and closed-circuit TV. Twelve of the 72 units are fully handicapped-accessible; the other 60 are adaptable.

Any of the Pratt seniors who wish to participate in the LIFE program must be nursing-home eligible, said Michelle Tiger, St. Agnes’ LIFE outreach and enrollment manager. LIFE provides customized care and medical attention for members who require assistance with daily activities.

The LIFE Center at Greater Grays Ferry Estates, staffed by 30 people, includes an adult day center that features games and exercise equipment, a primary care clinic, rehabilitation and a dining facility. The overall space can accommodate up to 120 members, with 65 attending each day.

St. Agnes provides wheelchair-accessible transportation for seniors in the 10 ZIP codes it serves.

Edith Hayman, 78, of the 1400 block of South 19th Street, is among those commuting to the LIFE Center. Hayman, who had two hernia and stomach operations last year and has trouble walking, visits the center three days a week. In addition to receiving medical services, she interacts with other seniors through bingo and other games, exercise and lunch.

"It gives me more spirit. I can’t wait ’til the days come when I come here," Hayman said. "The staff is wonderful. This is the first time I’ve ever been in a place like this."

By combining healthcare and other social services, LIFE Centers are a one-stop shop, noted Tiger.

The program at Greater Grays Ferry Estates is one of about 40 in the country.

"This program is really the Cadillac of community-based care for older adults with serious health problems and disabilities," Tiger said. "Our whole mission is to keep adults out of nursing homes so they can live at home."

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For more information on the LIFE Center, call Michelle Tiger at 215-339-4747.