The largest Korean-American nursing facility in California has opened in Los Angeles’ Koreatown.
With a capacity of more than 400 seniors, the facility is expected to become the primary care center for Korean-American seniors in the Los Angeles area.
The Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center at 433 Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles Koreatown hosted a grand opening ceremony on May 15, with more than 300 Korean-American seniors in attendance.
The center’s new home was formerly a church, a building designated as a historic landmark by the city of Los Angeles. Therefore, the exterior remained intact, while the interior underwent renovations since January to transform it into a senior health care facility.
“We are the largest of the 330 nursing facilities in California,” said David Kim, director of Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center. “As we enter our 21st year, we will continue to offer more programs to help Korean-American seniors.”
The Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center spans 25,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 1,000 people. However, the center is authorized by the state to serve 400 seniors and hopes to increase this capacity to 600 in the future.
The building is currently owned by Jamison Properties, and Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center has signed a 10-year lease to operate the facility.
“Ultimately, our goal is to purchase the building for more stable operations,” Kim said. “We hope that many seniors will take advantage of the facility because anyone on Medicaid can enroll.”
Representatives from the offices of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez (34th Congressional District) and California State Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (54th District) presented congratulatory messages and certificates of appreciation.
The Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC) was also in attendance. “Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center has been working with us on the Koreatown Storytelling Program,” said Steve Kang, Director of External Communications at KYCC. “We are capturing the diverse life stories of Korean-American seniors through digital documents and books, and we are very happy that the seniors at Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center will be in a more spacious and comfortable environment.”
The Wilshire Adult Day Health Care Center was established in 2003. It was originally located on Wilshire Boulevard near Southwestern Law School until 2020, when plans for a new mixed-use building on the property were revealed. The center currently employs more than 50 staff members, including registered nurses, social workers, kitchen chefs, and shuttle bus drivers. It is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers a variety of programs, including English classes, line dancing, worship, singing classes, and basketball.
BY YEOL JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
