On February 27, 2026, ACC Senior Services was filled with vibrant color, joyful music, and the warmth of community as we gathered to celebrate Lunar New Year. This FREE community event welcomed residents, families, staff, and neighbors for an afternoon that beautifully honored tradition, culture, and togetherness.
ACC Maple Tree Village has received a remarkable gift of an original oil painting from local artist and community supporter Linda Louie. This westward-facing landscape captures the “cool, crisp beauty of Northern California as a cloudy day sets a reflective mood along the Sacramento River.”
In Louie’s painting, the bronzy foliage of the trees lining the west bank of the river gracefully complements the swirling brushstrokes of the river, which envelop the city’s iconic landmark, The Ziggurat, a ten-story, stepped-pyramidal office building once known as The Money Store. The artist’s use of light along the riverbank creates shimmering reflections of the structure’s brutalist geometry, while the setting sun casts a warm, golden-hour glow that mirrors across the water.
This evocative piece is inspired by a photograph taken from Old Sacramento’s east bank and serves as a heartfelt tribute to ACC’s longtime friend and renowned architect, Edwin Kado. Kado, designer of The Ziggurat, described his original concept:
“I originally designed a building that cantilevered toward the river, so it was a pyramid upside down. It was twelve stories, and when you got to the top floor, it was 120 feet toward the river. The president of The Money Store thought it was interesting, but he wanted a symmetrical building. So, I suggested this shape as it connotes stability.”
The painting, gifted to ACC Maple Tree Village in Kado’s honor, celebrates his legacy as ACC’s “$1.4 million man.”
His architectural vision helped shape ACC’s many buildings including the design of Maple Tree Village itself, the renovated Park City building that now houses Meals on Wheels, several assisted living units at ACC Greenhaven Terrace, and both classrooms and offices across the ACC campus. Beyond ACC, Kado’s architectural footprint spans Sacramento, including Union Bank, the Almond Growers Visitor Center, CSU Sacramento facilities, Crossroads Shopping Center, Oto’s Marketplace, and Mahoroba Japanese Bakery.
Louie, an emerging Sacramento artist and active member of ACC’s Folk Guitar Club since 2019, originally showcased the piece during the 2025 Big Day of Giving Livestream. Her donation was made on behalf of ACC’s Music Programs and its dedicated music leaders, combining her love for art and music in a gesture of gratitude to the ACC community.
“I wanted this painting to reflect not just Sacramento’s landscape,” Louie shared, “but the creative spirit and stability that ACC and its people represent.”
The full interview with Linda Louie can be viewed on YouTube: ACC Senior Services Big Day of Giving Telethon 2025 (May 1 | 45:34).
This extraordinary gift now graces Maple Tree Village, a timeless reminder of art, architecture, and the enduring connections that make ACC a home for creativity and community.
After several months of uncertainty, ACC’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) has officially resumed operations following a temporary funding disruption earlier this year. In July 2025, a nationwide freeze on the release of federal funds, despite prior congressional approval, caused an unexpected suspension of SCSEP activities.
On the evening of September 30, 2025, ACC Senior Services was filled with the sounds of harmony and the warmth of community as guests gathered for a very special concert featuring Asian Pair. This lively event was not just about beautiful music—it was also about giving back.
On Friday, September 12, 2025, the ACC Senior Services campus was filled with laughter, strategy, and friendly competition as players gathered for the 2nd ACC Mahjong Tournament. Following the resounding success of the last inaugural event, this tournament was even bigger, drawing participants from across Sacramento and beyond.
This year’s event featured an enthusiastic turnout of families, community leaders, and supporters, all walking together to honor seniors and promote healthy lifestyles. The festive atmosphere included cultural performances, wellness resources, and activities for participants of all ages, creating a meaningful and family-friendly experience.
The Summer Concert Series has received rave reviews! Over 350 attendees braved the 100+ degree weather for a Summer Concert on the lawn at ACC Senior Services.
ACC Care Center has been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report. ACC Care Center has received recognition for both Short-term and Long-term Care and is one of only 3 Sacramento Skilled Nursing communities to receive dual recognition.
Since 2009, U.S. News’ annual Best Nursing Homes ratings have assisted American families in need of either short-term rehabilitation or long-term care for themselves or a loved one.
ACC Care Center earned its U.S. News Best Nursing Home status by achieving a rating of “High Performing,” the highest possible rating, for Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care. U.S. News gives the designation of Best Nursing Home only to those that satisfy U.S. News’ proprietary assessment of consistent performance in quality measures.
Heidi Wheeler LNHA, RCFE, LVN, ACC Care Center Administrator:
“I’m honored and immensely proud of the caring team at ACC Care Center for earning top honors in this thorough national review of nursing home quality. ACC Care Center has a robust training program that focuses on our mission to provide compassionate, person-centered care that celebrates our cultural diversity and promotes the highest quality of care to our residents in a homelike environment. With higher nurse to resident ratios our nursing team can spend more time with residents providing them with attentive, genuine care. Having more staff on hand and our Medical Director onsite regularly allows the team to be proactive vs reactive which results in better outcomes and fewer visits to the emergency room.”
Dr. Scott Stringer MD, Sutter Physician and Medical Director of ACC Care Center:
“As the Medical Director, I am incredibly proud of our commitment to providing the highest quality of care, reflected in the prestigious recognition from U.S. News & World Report. A cornerstone of our success is the thoughtful and strategic reduction in the use of antipsychotic medications. By prioritizing individualized care plans, promoting non-pharmacologic interventions, and fostering a deep understanding of behavioral health needs, we have significantly enhanced the well-being and safety of our residents. This achievement underscores our dedication to innovation, compassion, and setting a benchmark for excellence in skilled nursing care.”
Connie L. Rusynyk, President and CEO of ACC Senior Services:
“I have worked in hundreds of Nursing Homes throughout my career, and the Care Center is one that is remarkable. What makes the Care Center so different? The community, the staff and the families involved make the Care Center such a special place for our elderly to call home! The community involvement is unlike anything that I have ever seen. The families are so actively involved with the Care Center, whether they have family or friends living in the Care Center or not. Our medical director, Dr. Scott Stringer, not only takes excellent care of each resident, but Dr. Stringer cares deeply about residents, families, and staff. I am proud of the work we do at the Care Center and the team of dedicated healthcare professionals that take such extraordinary care of our most fragile members of our community!”
For the 2025 edition, U.S. News evaluated nearly 15,000 nursing homes on patient and resident outcomes, such as infection rates; staffing levels; potentially inappropriate reliance on antipsychotic drugs; health inspection results and other indicators of quality.
“U.S. News’ Best Nursing Homes ratings put patient well-being at the forefront and provide families with the objective information they need to make confident decisions about their loved ones’ care,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “These annual ratings recognize U.S. nursing homes that deliver high-quality care, earning consistent positive outcomes, and support American families in finding local nursing homes that prioritize safety and wellbeing.”
To calculate the Best Nursing Homes ratings, U.S. News evaluated each nursing home’s performance using a variety of quality measures obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The U.S. News methodology factors data such as resident care, safety and outcomes. Both short- and long-term ratings include data on nurse staffing, use of antipsychotic drugs and success in preventing ER and hospital visits. The long-term care rating also includes measures of whether a home changed ownership and how well it was staffed on weekends.
For more information, visit USNews.com and explore #BestNursingHomes on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
About ACC Senior Services
For over 50-years, ACC Senior Services (formerly known as The Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley) has been dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults and family caregivers.
We promote the general welfare and enhance the quality of life of our community by offering specially designed, culturally sensitive services, programs and classes for older adults in the Sacramento region.
ACC offers a full continuum of supportive services from Home and Community-Based Programs to our Residential Living and Care Communities.
ACC Senior Services is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
On September 17th, ACC hosted the ACC Fall Gala with just under 200 people in attendance. The event feature food from local Culinary Partners Binchoyaki, Buckhorn Grill Land Park, Fuji, Kalani Kakes, Sweet Oven Wholesale Bakery, Absolute Compassion Hospice and our very own ACC Chef Tim Hirobayashi! The silent auction featured local artwork, wine-tasting experiences, sports memorabilia, and even an exclusive whisky-tasting and travel package to Nashville!
The evening honored the inaugural ACC Founders Award recipients, Mr. Angelo Tsakopoulos and Congresswoman Doris Matusi. Mr. Tsakopoulos made the dream possible when he donated his 3.5 acres of land that the Care Center sits on today. Congresswoman Doris Matsui and her late husband, Congressman Robert Matsui, were instrumental in taking the idea of culturally sensitive senior care and making it a reality! Without the support of Mr. Tsakopoulos and the Matsui Family, alongside the powerful Bingo volunteers, the ACC Care Center would not be where it is today.
This fantastic event raised over 170k for the Care Center Modernization Fund. This fund will support projects such as acquiring a new emergency generator that meets new state laws, along with the modernization of the lobby and nurses’ station at the 38yr old Care Center. The lobby will honor the gift of Mr. Angelo Tsakopoulous to all who enter.
If you would like to make a donation to the ACC Care Center Modernization Fund, please contact ACC Fund Development at development@accsv.org or by clicking www.accsv.org/donate
Photographers: ACC Camera Club – Jeff Jong, Jeanie Fong, Jonathan Sakakibara
ACC’s 3rd Annual Ohana Walk was held on September 7th, 2024 with over 700 walkers in attendance!
