RiverSpring Living is an American

health care organization Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is deliver ...

for older adults based in

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. It was founded in 1917 in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

as ''The Hebrew Home'' and was renamed ''RiverSpring Living'' in 2021.

History

RiverSpring Living was founded in 1917 as the Hebrew Home, a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

organization based in a

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

focused on helping homeless older adults. In 1951, it acquired a 19-acre Riverdale site, which was the former Riverdale Children's Association and before that the

Colored Orphan Asylum The Colored Orphan Asylum was in New York City, from 1836 to 1946. It housed on average four hundred children annually and was mostly managed by women. Its first location was on Fifth Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, ...

. The new location accommodated 150 residents, and a staff of forty doctors, nurses, and other personnel. In April 1951, it was renamed the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale. In 1958, Reverend Isaac Spira, who served as the Hebrew Home's leader for 30 years, retired. He and his wife became residents, and Jacob Reingold became

Executive Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

. In 1961, Jacob Reingold founded "Grandparents Day," the first Sunday after

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

, to honor and appreciate all grandparents. It was later declared a national holiday by President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

. In 1982, the Derfner Judaica Museum was founded at the Hebrew Home, with hundreds of Jewish ceremonial objects donated by Ralph and Leuba Baum. The organization established the Hebrew Home's Research Division, which included the National Alzheimer Center, partnering with medical institutions like Mount Sinai Hospital and

Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) is the academic medical center of Columbia University and the largest campus of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The center's academic wing consists of Columbia's colleges and schools of Physician ...

to research on aging. In 1990, Jacob Reingold retired. His successor was his son, Daniel Reingold, M.S., J.D., who serves as president and CEO. In 1995, the organization created the nation's first sexual expression policy in long-term care, which emphasizes the importance of allowing residents to participate in consensual sex and intimacy. In 1996, the Hebrew Home launched ElderServe (now RiverSpring Health Plans), which provides managed long-term care plans to seniors from the

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, and Westchester. In 2005, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention, now named the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Justice, was formed at the Hebrew Home to inform community members on how to identify and prevent

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psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...

, and

physical abuse Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. In most cases, children are the victims of physical abuse, but adults can also be victims, as in cases of domestic violence or ...

among the elderly. It became the nation's first comprehensive regional elder abuse shelter in a long-term care facility. In 2012, the Hebrew Home acquired the 14 acres adjacent to its Riverdale property to create the 32-acre Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Campus on the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

. Due to the growth and expansion of housing, home care, and community services, the Hebrew Home at Riverdale was rebranded to RiverSpring Living. In 2014, RiverSpring Living partnered with SAGE (Services and Advocacy for

GLBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...

Elders) to provide an

LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...

Q-focused social adult day program at the Hebrew Home. The same year, RiverSpring and

NewYork-Presbyterian The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (abbreviated as NYP) is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City. It is the primary teaching hospital for Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The hospit ...

partnered to create a rehabilitation unit. RiverSpring Rehabilitation specializes in short-term inpatient rehabilitation for major health conditions. In 2017, RiverSpring adopted the use of

medical marijuana Medical cannabis, medicinal cannabis or medical marijuana (MMJ) refers to Cannabis (drug), cannabis products and cannabinoid, cannabinoid molecules that are prescription drug, prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabi ...

, while still complying with federal law. In 2024, David V. Pomeranz, long time Chief Operating Officer, was named President and CEO of RiverSpring Living.

Operations

RiverSpring Living provides various eldercare services, including assisted living, memory care, independent living, skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, and programs for elder abuse prevention. Accommodation options range from independent living apartments for those over 65 to assisted living and memory care units. The Hebrew Home at Riverdale provides long-term skilled nursing care and memory care. RiverSpring Home Care offers in-home support for individuals recently discharged from hospitals or rehabilitation facilities and those needing longer-term care.

References

{{Authority control Medical and health organizations based in the United States Medical and health organizations based in New York (state) Organizations established in 1917 Health care companies established in 1917 Non-profit organizations based in New York City Jewish organizations based in New York City LGBTQ health organizations in the United States