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Nonprofit senior care LeadingAge expands into Delaware

Delaware Public Media

A nonprofit devoted to senior care is expanding into Delaware.

LeadingAge is a national organization. Its nearly 100-year-old New Jersey branch is taking on six new provider members in Delaware to create the joint-state association LeadingAge New Jersey Delaware.

“We’re not the first LeadingAge affiliate to do that. There’s also LeadingAge Maine and New Hampshire and LeadingAge Gulf States as well,” said LeadingAge New Jersey Delaware President and CEO Jim McCracken. “It’s a model that’s worked in other areas, particularly when you've got small states—it just makes sense to work together.”        

The Delaware-based providers come to LeadingAge from the for-profit Delaware Healthcare Facilities Association. 

McCracken says these providers were once part of a separate LeadingAge Delaware some years ago, and wanted to return to a faith-based, nonprofit model for senior care. 

“Spiritual life is certainly a very important aspect of providing a continuum of care to the residents as well as direct cares,” he said. “Often times in not-for-profit senior living providers you’ll see a focus on not just meeting regulations, but truly making sure that the whole person is cared for.”        

The new Delaware-based members include senior care providers from all three Delaware counties.

LeadingAge New Jersey Delaware now has 140 members and McCracken says there’s room for growth.

The group formally announced its start at an event attended by state lawmakers in Dover last week.