WHAT:  The grand opening of a new facility for the Living Independently for Elders, or LIFE program, a community outreach of the School of Nursing of the University of Pennsylvania.  LIFE provides nursing home-level day care, including medical, dental and personal grooming services and social activities, for more than 300 frail elderly from West Philadelphia who are nursing home-eligible but prefer to live in their own homes. The LIFE staff also make house calls, providing in-home oversight to members.

WHERE:  The new LIFE building is at 45th and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia, at the site of a former nursing home abandoned for eight years. The University, as part of its commitment to its West Philadelphia neighborhood, facilitated the development of the building to meet the needs of the LIFE program.  

WHEN:  The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 1, with a ribbon cutting scheduled for 11:15.

WHO:  School of Nursing Dean Afaf Meleis will be master of ceremonies.

Penn President Amy Gutmann will present the Healthy in Philadelphia award to City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell as a tribute to her work on behalf of the vulnerable populations in her district.  LIFE members will participate.

Eileen Sullivan-Marx, associate dean for practice and community affairs at the nursing school, will describe LIFE's focus.

Judge Midge Rendell, chair of the nursing school's Board of Overseers, will cut the ribbon.

DETAILS:  Media representatives will have the opportunity tour the facility and talk with LIFE members, including the Council of Elders, which provides member input for the programming.