Rogerson Communities today announced the award of a $665,000 grant from the Charles H. Farnsworth Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, in support of the redevelopment of its memory care community in Jamaica Plain.  

The redevelopment project is the transformation of the organization’s flagship community, Rogerson House, across from Jamaica Pond. The plans include the creation of 41 new affordable independent living apartments in addition to 66 new memory care units to replace existing services on the 3.2 acre campus. The new six-story building will also include space for the organization’s memory care social day program, a Fitness FIRST center, and more than 20,000 square feet of outdoor space, including four garden areas. 

The reenvisioned, state-of-the-art community is part of a larger effort Rogerson is undertaking to greatly increase its housing footprint in response to the senior care crisis. 

“By 2030, nearly two million Massachusetts residents will be over the age of 60,” said Rogerson President and CEO Walter Ramos, “and more than half of them will lack the resources they need for housing and care. At the same time, dementia rates continue to rise—more than 150,000 people in the Commonwealth struggle with it, and that’s expected to double by 2060. The need couldn’t be more clear: We must modernize and expand our flagship community to continue delivering the compassionate care Rogerson is known for.” 

“To have philanthropic partners who recognize this need as clearly as we do, and who step forward to help meet it, is inspiring,” Ramos continued. “We are tremendously grateful to the Farnsworth Trust for their vision and their generosity.”