60 Residents in 60 Days

60 residents in 60 days:

The Success Story of Berman Commons, Atlanta’s Newest Assisted Living & Memory Care Community

Following nearly 15 months of construction and a vision that dates back to 2007, a lot that once housed temporary trailers for a Jewish day school is now home to Berman Commons, a 90-unit assisted living and memory care community owned and managed by AJAS member Jewish Home Life Communities (JHLC).

The project launched with a very successful capital campaign, raising $10.5 million thanks to donations from more than 170 families and several foundations, including two generous grants awarded by the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation ($1 million) and the Marcus Foundation ($1.25 million) because of JHLC’s reputation for quality and service.

With a grand opening celebration on March 8th that attracted numerous city officials and more than 400 attendees, Berman Commons, known for its stunning design, first-class accommodations and an extraordinary kosher dining program, has filled up quickly. With more than two-thirds of the apartments reserved during the construction period, the high demand for immediate move-ins required an aggressive ramp up of staff, resources and caregivers immediately after the doors opened.

Berman Commons staff worked around the clock, not just preparing for state inspection, but also completing resident assessments, developing activity calendars and menus, testing kitchen equipment, setting up office technology, scheduling move-ins, training caregivers and so much more. By partnering with JHLC’s own home care and supplemental staffing service, The One Group, we leveraged the expertise and services within our own system to ensure appropriate staffing levels for all our new residents and adjust quickly when needed.

As a result, we were able to move in the first twelve residents by the end of the first week of operations. By the end of the first month, we were caring for 35 new residents. And by the end of our first 60 days of operation, our 60th resident called Berman Commons home.

Of the lessons learned from this project, the one that stands out most is how our entire JHLC system came together to make the opening of Berman Commons successful. Our other assisted living community, The Cohen Home, was able to accommodate residents who needed a community before Berman Commons opened. Our Weinstein Hospice supported several of our families in need of their services. Our skilled nursing home (WBJH) staff helped new employees with dementia training. And our entire administrative staff from across our other seven entities volunteered to help during our Grand Opening Celebration. Everyone wanted to be a part of the success of Berman Commons. It was a true team effort.

For more information, please visit www.bermancommons.org, or call 678.222.7500.

Staff from across all JHLC entities volunteered their time to make the Berman Commons grand opening an extraordinary day.

Berman Commons is named in honor of JHLC Past Board Chair Stephen M. Berman, pictured here in the Founders Hall with his wife Candy during the Grand Opening Celebration, for his 40+ years of dedicated service to JHLC.

Dunwoody city officials, including the Mayor, City Councilmen and Chamber of Commerce executives joined our Berman Commons Project Team for the official ribbon cutting shortly before our grand opening.