For sale: the last Jewish care home in the Midlands

A Jewish care home in Birmingham opened by Princess Diana nearly 30 years ago is being sold.

Andrew Cohen House in Stirchley, currently run by housing association charity Birmingham Jewish Community Care (BJCC), has faced increased financial pressures and a “significant decline” in Jewish occupancy.

Whilst it’s no longer viable as a solely Jewish operation, it won’t close, but instead be sold as a functioning care home to “sustain the future of BJCC for the benefit of the Birmingham Jewish Community.”

Sharon Grey, CEO and manager of Andrew Cohen House, says that the cost of living and a significant decline in Jewish occupancy are major factors in the decision. Jewish residents now make up less than a quarter (13) of the home’s 59 residents.

Grey also cited “lower numbers of self-funders, a significant price gap between funded care placements and the real cost of care, combined with soaring energy prices challenge the financial viability of the charity.”

She says the decision was not taken lightly but is “the only way to ensure that BJCC can survive in the long term where its social work team and drop in community services will continue supporting the Jewish community within the West Midlands.”

The home also cites the “significantly rising kosher supply and food costs” making it “no longer financially viable to continue supplying kosher food to all our residents”.

The home will now offer kosher food to those Jewish residents requesting it, and though the ingredients will be kosher and produced in a supervised kitchen, the home will no longer be supervised.

BJCC’s dedicated social care team will continue to support all members of the local community and together with Birmingham’s local synagogues and other communal organisations will “continue to have a strong presence in the local Birmingham Jewish community”.

Grey said: “We are pleased to confirm that Andrew Cohen House has had a great deal of interest from other care providers, and we are already considering offers from some very reputable providers.  We have every reason to feel confident it should continue as a thriving care home, provided by someone else. Staff, residents, and relatives were all updated about the changes in meetings at the home yesterday with many residents expressing that they would continue to live there under new ownership once sold.”