June 15, 2016
Keiro's Board of Directors is currently engaged in in-depth planning to develop Keiro's operational and programmatic strategy to achieve maximum community benefit in the coming decade.  The New Vision Framework series of eNewsletters describes core components of the Vision Framework that serves as the roadmap for Keiro's long-range planning going forward. 
Keiro's New Vision Framework: First in a Six-part Series
The Mission Continues
 
The name "Keiro" - respect for the elderly - symbolizes the organization's founding commitment to supporting the seniors in the Japanese American community live with the dignity and compassion which they surely deserved.  And as long as there are seniors in the Japanese American and Japanese community who require a culturally sensitive approach to support, Keiro's commitment to enhancing the quality of their lives will continue.
Keiro's mission remains the same: 
To enhance the quality of senior life in Our Community
With seniors' increasing desire to age in place at home, with payers' decreasing utilization of facility-based care, and with more acculturation, it would have been easy to declare, "Mission accomplished." 
 
Yet, Keiro realized that support for seniors may be even more critical now than in 1960, when Keiro was founded.
Society is getting older.  

In 1960, when Keiro was being planned, 9% of the U.S. population was 65 years and older; by 2010, it was 13%, and the 2030 projection - just 14 years from now - is 20%!  Not only has the percentage of the older adult population increased, the numbers have, as well - 16,500K in 1960 to 40,268K in 2010 to a projected 72,774K by 2030.
In addition, 97% of the people age 65 or older are aging at home rather than in a nursing facility.  Our Japanese American and Japanese community is also getting older, we are living longer, we are choosing to live at home as long as possible, and knowing this, it is obvious that Keiro's mission must continue. 
In this commitment to mission, the "community" is defined as Japanese American and Japanese older adults and their families, caregivers, and the community organizations that support them .  Moving from facility based services where Keiro could serve up to 600 people at any time, we know that there are approximately 70,000 Japanese American and Japanese seniors who have or will have needs in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties.  For each senior who needs support, there are many more family and informal caregivers.
There is much work to be done before anyone can say "Mission accomplished."
 
We continue to invite your participation and support. For more information about Keiro's commitment to the future, please visit   www.keiro.org/about
If you have comments about the continuing commitment to enhancing the quality of senior life in Our Community, or the definition of those to be served - Japanese American and Japanese older adults, their families, caregivers, and the community organizations that serve them, please send comments to  planningforthefuture@keiro.org
 
Keiro's New Vision Framework is presented in a series of six eNewsletters. Next week, learn more about Keiro's three core program areas: services to older adults, support of caregivers, and programs for residents of Keiro's former facilities.

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Keiro is expanding our reach from a focus on long term health care facilities to broadly engaging and supporting older adults wherever they call home.  Serving primarily Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties, Keiro provides services to older adults and caregivers, along with programs for residents of Keiro's former facilities-helping older adults in Our Community age the way they choose.   
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