Vahe H. Apelian
The expansion
The state of affairs at the Home For the Armenian Aged in Emerson, N.J. in 1950, five years after its operation can best be summed up by the inscription on a postcard put forth by the Home most likely for fundraising. It reads:
“The Home has fourteen beds, a spacious living room, dining room, kitchen and pantry, and four bedrooms. On the grounds are two garages a barn, a bake house, a goat house, and a chicken house. A part of the property produces fresh fruit and vegetables for the old folks during the summertime, and enough to make preserves for the winter. Each person is considered for admission according to his particular financial circumstances. There is a minimum annual charge for those of means. Our files contain many applications from old folk from all over the country asking to be admitted but the Home is filled to capacity. Because of these requests we are making plans for a home, which will be able to care for all Armenians who need comfort, care and security in their later years. In addition, we are hoping to expand our facilities to include a very much needed hospital and convalescent home.”
The operating funds of the Home were raised through donations from the community and also from the limited estate of the residents if any. The financial statement of the Home from May 1946 to April 1947 balanced its budget of $15,665.15 of which a meager $1185 were paid for salaries, and $1770.43 were paid for food. The limited funds did not discourage the members of the Board of Trustees who started actively looking for ways and means to expand to provide the much-needed services to the community.
Mr. and Mrs. Dikran Dadourian’s Donation
The first breakthrough came on April 10, 1948, when Mr. and Mrs. Dikran Dadourian donated to the Home 10 lots adjoining the Home ground, totaling approximately 1.8 acres. The original Home ground purchased by the community was 1.5 acres. The addition brought the Home to its present real estate of approximately 3.3 acres of prime property in one of the most affluent counties in the nation.
Mr. and Mrs. Dikran Dadourian had previously visited the Home and had been very much impressed by the purpose of the Home. They had also realized that the Home with its limited space was destined to be of limited services to the community.
As a token of appreciation Mr. and Mrs. Dikran Dadourian were elected as honorary members of the Home. They were the second recipients of this nominal honor. Archbishop Dikran Nersoyan Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church was the first honorary member.
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| Lots donated by Mr. and Mrs. Dikran Dadourian. |
The new residential wing
The next several years were devoted to upgrading and furnishing the Home. No major construction was done during this period. Mr. Armenak Mardirossian was elected as the President of the Home in 1953 and become the longest-serving president of the Home. The first three decades of his tenure was marked by unprecedented growth. The community was most receptive and responsive to the needs of the Home and contributed generously to the fundraising calls, without which the expansion of the home could not have been realized. The ensuing growth of the Home was remarkable.
The first addition became the contraction of a new residential wing. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on September 16, 1956. The new building was completed in 1960 and doubled the occupancy. The newly available spec was occupied in no time.
Archbishop Mampre Calfayan Interfaith Memorial Chapel
Archbishop Mapre Calfayan diligently served the Armenian community for 28 years. His Grace passed away in his apartment in Miami on July 17, 1961. It had been his wish to have a chapel erected at the Home. The Primate permitted the Board of Trustees of the Home to perform the Karasounki Hokehankist (the traditional fortieth day requiem memorial service) and also to solicit donations for a memorial chapel.
Mr. Armenak Mardirossian, the Archbishop’s life-long friend, spearheaded the drive. On Sunday, August 27, 1961, more than four hundred congregated on the Home grounds for memorial service. The clergy from various Armenian religious denominations conducted the memorial service. The occasion also marked the start of the drive to build a chapel in memory of the Archbishop.
The chapel was constructed within the next three years. The dedication of the completed chapel took place on April 26, 1964. Representatives from various Armenian religious denominations participated in the dedication ceremony.
The Mampre Calfayan Inter-Faith Memorial Chapel of the Home is centrally located around which the wings of the Home have spanned. The chapel is one of the most distinguishing features of the Home. It may also be unique for a nursing home to have spanned around a chapel. For the Armenian community at large, churched or chapel and institution of care and learning have almost always been erected side by side.
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| Calfayan Inter-Faith Memorial Chapel
The Memorial Nursing Wing and the State Licensure
While the construction of the Calfayan Chapel was in the progress, the Board of Trustees had already made plans for one more addition, a 78-bed nursing facility to be named Memorial Nursing Wing in memory of the victims of the Armenian genocide victims.
1965 marked the fiftieth commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. This occasion gave a new meaning and impetus to the construction drive and thrusted the Board of Trustees and the Armenian community at large into this monumental construction project, which was completed by 1967. The Memorial Nursing Wings are L shaped additions. Along with the nursing wing a new kitchen and a large dining hall were also built.
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In the same year, 1967, in a letter addressed to the President of the Home Mr. Albert Mardirossian, Commissioner Lloyd We. McCorkle of N.J. Department of Institutions and Agencies informed that the State Board of Control had reviewed the recommendation of the Hospital Licensing Board and had directed that a Full License for the nursing unit be issued to the Home For The Armenian Aged.
The Home now could care for more than 100 residents of which 78 beds were reserved for skilled nursing care.
The Dining Hall and the Elevator
The dining hall of the Home is dedicating I memory of Alfred and Mary Hekemian. The couple died childlessly and donated pat of their estate to the Home.
The two nursing wings of the Home are built on top of each other, one being at the ground level. In 1968, Dr. Hovagim Pohan presented a check for $10,000 toward the installation of an elevator to connect the two wings. Dr. Pohan donated in memory of his son Armen who was killed in combat while serving the United States Air Force during the Second World War. The elevator is wife enough to accommodate a stretcher along with several passengers.
The new boarding, the Last major addition to date.
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Manougian donated 200 shares of Masco Corporation to the Home in 1972. The Board of Trustees had already made plans for an additional 30-bed residential wing to be constructed to accommodate the ever-pressing demand for more room.
The donation of the Manougians served as the catalyst for the Board of Trustees to have the construction commenced. As usual, appeals were made to the Armenian community who in their most generous way responded to the call and the last addition to date became a reality.
The needs of the community had changed and the demand for residential care is not as acute as for skilled nursing care warranting changes in the service the Home renders. Reflecting the change the once Home for the Armenian Aged is now called Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
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