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About AgeSong: Our Family

Our vision began in June 1995 as three brothers decided to combine their diverse background in psychology, law, and theology in the pursuit of a common vision to create therapeutic environments for the Bay Area’s aging population. After touring assisted living facilities and nursing homes, we gathered together in our Mission District apartment in San Francisco and pledged to seek ways to improve Western society’s view of aging and the elderly. This commitment was the impetus to the opening of Hayes Valley Care, a 47-bed assisted living community for frail elders. Joined by our sister Elke and colleague Chad, we then created AgeSong, and devoted ourselves to the mission of creating therapeutic environments; places that lovingly support people in being who they are.

Our vision is to break away from the typical ‘treatment’ model of senior care to reassert the value of aging and of being an elder. A therapeutic environment has a four-pronged focus that includes 1) a holistic approach to care 2) specialized programming 3) personnel growth and development and 4) design criteria that integrates the inner and outer community. AgeSong is guided by values of awareness, growth, excellence, spirit, openness, nurturing and giving back.

In addition to Hayes Valley Care, AgeSong designed and developed Laguna Grove Care, a 56-bed senior community in San Francisco which opened in September, 2005. The Company currently manages both Hayes Valley Care and Laguna Grove Care and is in the entitlement phase to develop an additional 127 units (157 beds).

AgeSong believes that elders are a core source of wisdom and grounding for our rapidly paced society. Integration of elders in our urban communities brings the young and old closer together, creates possibilities for parents and grandparents to be closer to their children and grandchildren, offers our youth on-going mentorship, and empowers our elders with a sense of purpose and meaning. We continue to share our views of elder care with members of the press and policy makers to ensure that quality elder care services are a priority for all communities.

AgeSong’s philosophy of care begins with the design criteria for each community. We encourage interaction between our inner community of residents and outer community of neighbors by creating retail spaces that are either used or operated by our elders. Our interior designs reflect principles of feng shui, “healing environments,” and provide space for interfaith reflection and meditation. AgeSong has its own unique programs in assisted living, forgetfulness (“dementia”), Memory Improvement Training, gero-psychological care, and a hospice program inspired by training from the Zen Hospice Project. These programs are resident-centered, interdisciplinary, and support a continuum of care for the changing expressions of aging.

AgeSong recognizes its staff as the most important reason for its success and works to nurture a relationship that is familial, meaningful, fun and rewarding. As a result, AgeSong has an exceptionally loving and dedicated staff. In addition, AgeSong has earned a deep and well-respected network of contacts from which it obtains most of its resident referrals and request for development services. Our management team is committed to expanding our model of care throughout the greater Bay Area.