About Gurwin

What makes Gurwin such a special place?

Gurwin is a mission-based, non-profit healthcare organization dedicated to serving the needs of our residents. Our team is united by a desire to make a difference in the lives of older adults, and is imbued with a commitment to treat every resident as if they are their very own family member.

Our long-standing roots in exceptional senior care also is what makes us unique. Founded in 1988, Gurwin was created to be an innovative, supportive and choice-rich community for older adults. As our Long Island community’s needs grew, so did our breadth of services. Gurwin continues to identify and fill emerging care needs for older adults in our surrounding communities, all guided by our founding values: compassion, heart, high-quality care, determination and faith.

Gurwin is one of a kind. We invite you to get to know us by learning more about our history, mission and leadership team.

Our proud history

Our History: Care and Caring Since 1988

In the early 1980s, a group of community leaders, many of whom would eventually form our Founding Board of Directors, gathered together to share a vision. They wanted to build a nursing home that would provide the finest quality of care and caring to the frail Jewish elderly living on Long Island. Because of their dedication and commitment, this dream soon became a reality.

As we look back over the past three decades, we can be very proud of our many accomplishments:

      • 1988

        The 300-bed Gurwin Jewish Geriatric Center opened our “home and our hearts” to our first residents. This would be the first nursing home with a Jewish ambiance in Suffolk County.

      • 1989

        Our out-patient Adult Day Health Program opened offering rehabilitation and invaluable socialization to members of the community. This program has expanded three times and today we serve more than 140 individuals, six days a week.

      • 1997

        We instituted our Home Care Program, bringing Gurwin’s excellence into the homes of hundreds of Long Islanders each year.

      • 1999

        We opened our Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Pavilion, adding 160 beds, including a 28-bed ventilator and respiratory care unit.

      • 2001

        The full continuum of care was expanded when we opened our assisted living community, Fay J. Lindner residences.

      • 2006

        We added 40 additional units, making it a 201-apartment complex for the well elderly.
        Gurwin was named by Working Mother Magazine as a “Best Place to Work for Working Mothers”

      • 2007

        Our name and look changed, with a renaming of the Center to the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. This name change reflects our commitment to providing the highest quality care to our long-term residents, as well as our increased focus on short-term rehabilitation.

      • 2008

        Our Foundation name became the Gurwin Jewish Healthcare Foundation, to more accurately reflect our support of vital initiatives benefiting all Gurwin entities.

        Our on-site Dialysis Center opened, serving not only our long- and short-term rehabilitation residents, but also those we serve in our assisted living community and adult day health program. The state-of-the-art facility is also open to residents of the community.

      • 2009

        We expanded our short-term rehabilitation program to include 80 beds and a newly renovated and enhanced rehabilitation suite, enabling us to better care for those in need of short-term rehabilitation as well as long-term care.

      • 2011

        We formed our Board of Directors for our Long Island independent living community, Fountaingate Gardens, located on the Gurwin campus.

      • 2016

        We dedicated 60 beds to a new Memory Care unit in our skilled nursing facility.

      • 2017

        Gurwin’s social model Adult Day Care Program open its doors to address the needs of Long Islanders living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.

        Gurwin entered into a clinical partnership in 2017 with Stony Brook University Hospital Hospitalists Program to provide daily medical regular coverage for the short-term rehabilitation unit.

      • 2018

        Gurwin was named the “#1 Best Place to Work in Aging Services” by Fortune Magazine and was also named “Best Place to Work” among small and medium-sized businesses in New York.

        Gurwin achieved Preferred Provider status with Hospital for Special Surgeries, Stony Brook Hospital, Northwell Health Huntington Hospital and Catholic Health Services.

      • 2019

        Gurwin was named by Long Island Business News as “Best on Long Island” in Rehabilitation, Assisted Living, Adult Day Health Programs and Health Aides

        Gurwin’s 12-bed Advanced Care Unit opened, offering a higher level of care for fragile, clinically complex patients, which at one time was available exclusively in the hospital setting.

        Gurwin rolled out state-of-the-art VOCSN ventilator technology, becoming the only long-term care facility for adults in the tri-state area to offer sophisticated 5-in-1 mobile ventilators for residents on the facility’s ventilator and respiratory care unit.

      • 2020

        Newsweek named Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in its inaugural “Best Nursing Homes of 2020” national ranking, and includes the Center in its listing for 2022 and 2023.

        Gurwin was named by Long Island Business News as “Best on Long Island” in Nursing Home, Rehabilitation, Adult Day Health Programs and Health Aides.

        Gurwin Healthcare System acquired 120-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center Island Nursing and Rehab Center in Holtsville, NY, helping to preserve the organization’s non-profit status, and improve operations and census.Gurwin commenced site clearing work for construction of its Fountaingate Gardens Independent Living Life Plan Community on the Gurwin campus

      • 2022

        Fountaingate Gardens independent living Life Plan Community opens its doors and welcome its first community members.

      • 2023

        Gurwin named by Long Island Business News as  2023 “Best on Long Island” in Rehabilitation, Adult Day Health Programs,  Health Aides.

        Gurwin’s Julie Yerkes, RN, captures “Best Nurse”on Long Island in BOLI’s inaugural category.

      • 2024

        Gurwin named by Newsweek Magazine one of America’s Best Nursing Homes
      • Julie Yerkes, R.N., voted Best Nurse for the second consecutive year.
      • Gurwin Adult Day Health Program voted best Adult Day Care Program for the eighth consecutive year.
      • Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center voted Best Rehabilitation for the fifth consecutive year.
      • Gurwin Home Care Agency voted Best Health Aides for the sixth consecutive year.
      • Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center voted Best Nursing Home.
      • Gurwin Jewish ~ Fay J. Lindner Residences voted Best Assisted Living.

Our Gurwin continuum of healthcare has helped thousands of individuals in need of all levels of care for 35 years. We look forward to the future, where your support will enable us to be there for generations to come.

Mission statement

Our mission statement

Gurwin Healthcare System, Inc., through its subsidiary entities – Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Gurwin Jewish ~ Fay J. Lindner Residences, Inc., Gurwin Home Care Agency Inc. and Island Nursing and Rehab Center (collectively, the “System”) is committed to excellence and to the provision of the highest standards of quality health care to achieve its purpose of serving the community.

The System’s continuum of care shall include long-term care, short-term rehabilitation and sub-acute care, respiratory and ventilator care, palliative and hospice care, memory and other specialty care, medical and social adult day care programs, home care services, on-site dialysis, assisted living and independent senior housing. It shall assess services and evolve to meet changing community needs. While embracing all, the System shall build upon a foundation of Jewish ethics, tradition and lifestyle.

The System shall provide leadership in senior care and chronic care management, health education, research, and public policy development. It shall serve as a teaching resource for the education of healthcare professionals, enabling them to attain the highest standards of competence and compassion. It will strive to educate and sensitize staff, volunteers, residents and their families on issues pertaining to aging, rehabilitation, chronic and long-term care.

The System shall act as an industry leader in the development and adaptation of models of care and outreach programs. In all endeavors, the System shall seek to serve as a role model for other healthcare providers.

Joseph Gurwin

Our Founding President

Joseph Gurwin was our founding president and benefactor, a kind and generous man whose dedication to philanthropy brought lasting joy and enhanced the quality of life for countless people throughout the United States, and throughout the world.

Mr. Gurwin came to New York from Lithuania when he was 16 years old with only $100 in his pocket and the intention to send for his parents when he was financially able. Before he could, they perished in the Holocaust. Because he didn’t have the opportunity to care for his own parents, he and his late wife, Rosalind, embraced the chance to name the Gurwin Center, and the opportunity to help care for the parents of others.

A familiar face at the center, Mr. Gurwin took great pride in the services Gurwin provided, always mandating that we strive to be “the best of the best.” He regularly attended resident events and was committed to enhancing the quality of life for each resident. Mr. Gurwin considered it one of his greatest achievements that his dream of caring for those who cared for us became a reality.

While Mr. Gurwin is no longer with us, his generosity will live on, not only here at Gurwin, but also throughout the world where his many projects enrich the lives of the people they serve.