One year ago, approximately 90 residents, mostly Japanese and Japanese American women in their 80s and 90s, were evicted from Pacifica’s Sakura Intermediate Care Facility to make way for apartments and a parking lot.
JA community organizations will honor all relocatees and their families with presentations to those at Atherton Homes for their courage, perseverence and survival through the eviction and the trauma of relocation.
Of importance to all relocatees: Save Our Seniors Network (SOSN) began direct talks with the Office of the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, and specifically with Special Assistant Attorney General James Toma, in early 2022 and requested that office to address specific issues as outlined below.
SOSN thanks Attorney General Bonta and Special Assistant Attorney General Toma for working with Pacifica Companies to: restore a level of culturally sensitive facility care to the displaced former Sakura ICF residents; allow all former Sakura ICF residents currently participating in the Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) Program to remain at the Sakura Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility for their lifetimes, being charged no more than what Medi-Cal and SSI provides; and invite all other former Sakura ICF residents to apply to the ALW Program to join familiar Sakura Gardens neighbors and former ICF residents on the 325 Boyle Ave. campus.
All relocatees will be entertained by Robie and Steve La on taiko and Japanese vocal performances by Rumi Chamberlain, Yoshie Sato and Noriko MacIntosh. All will be presented with beautiful handmade lap blankets.
Sakura Family Council member and SOSN member Kensaku Nakayama stated, “The period of relocation of the Sakura ICF residents during the summer of 2021 as the facility was shutting down was a time filled with uncertainty for all displaced residents. Seniors who had considered the Sakura ICF facility as home were forced to accept new, unfamiliar environments, often with no Japanese-language staff and culturally sensitive activities, many suffering from transfer trauma.
“The July 23 event will be held to recognize the displaced seniors for their courage and perseverance.”
Sponsoring organizations: Save Our Seniors Network, Sakura Family Council, Greater Los Angeles JACL.
Date and time: Saturday July 23, 9:45 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Atherton Skilled Nursing Facility Patio, 214 S. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra, CA 91801