|
 At the
moment, residents are not yet living in the new building, but are
scheduled to be arriving after the first of the year. The current
home of those residents is located on Fifth Street and is in a
building that was originally the St Clara’s Hospital. The old
building featured a two story construction with a basement, and was
designed with double occupancy rooms. On Thursday evening, as guests
toured the new facility, many comments were heard about the bright
airy feeling of the building, the use of real windows in certain
activity and therapy rooms and the wonderfully comfortable feeling
of the many common areas within the building. All these assets were
noted as in stark contrast to the soon to be former facility.
The evening began on Thursday with food and drink served during a
short social hour. Guests were directed to the nearest common area
after entering the main lobby where they enjoyed cocktail tables and
dining tables seating four as a place to gather as they enjoyed a
variety of beverages and finger foods.
At 6 p.m. Janell Woolard, Community Relations Coordinator, serving
as the emcee for the evening, invited everyone to return to the main
lobby for a short list of guest speaker comments, followed by a
ribbon cutting. After the ribbon cutting, guided tours were offered
with certain staff members taking up stations at specific points in
the tour to assist with sharing the purpose of certain areas and
talk about how it will impact residents.
Woolard
began with a list of “thank-yous” to St. Clara’s Marketing staff and
also to the contractors whom she said had tolerated her “tramping”
through with tours as work was underway.
The first person to address the guests gathered in the expansive
lobby was St. Clara’s Administrator Mike Eads.
Eads
said he was honored to welcome everyone into the facility, and that
he had been a part of an “incredible journey” as he watched it go
from a “hole in the ground, to what you see today.”
He said the building represented a new way of life for residents and
future residents, with a place to enjoy adventures and wide open
spaces and that “most importantly, it is a place to thrive.”
He said that speaking for himself and his staff, all were humbled by
the opportunity to serve this community and the residents.
Eads added a long list of “thank-yous” including appreciation for
the Heritage Home Office team, the architects, contractors, and
others involved in the physical construction of the building. He
thanked the St. Clara’s Board of directors for their support.
Eads concluded that he wanted to thank all in attendance, and also
wanted to acknowledge Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and said it
was good to be their neighbor again.
Next up was St. Clara’s board member Clyde Reynolds followed
immediately by board member Tonita Reifsteck.
Reynolds
did a brief walk through history saying that the facility today that
was “actually the latest flower to bloom on a vine that was planted
back in 1886 when St. Clara’s Hospital was first conceived.” He
noted that the hospital closed in 1962 and reopened in 1964 as St.
Clara’s Manor. He said that Castle Manor was a shoot from that
original vine as was this new St. Cara’s facility.
Reynolds went on to say that the facility was more than a dot on a
time line, it was a representation of another step to providing a
continuum of care for senior citizens. He also said the dream was
not entirely fulfilled, there was still more that could be done. He
talked about developing an independent living program that included
housing for those who wanted to maintain independence.
Reynolds added some “thank-yous” as well including the State Bank of
Lincoln, and the many people who have served quietly behind the
scenes, such as the St. Clara’s Board Members.
Tonita
Reifsteck spoke about her love for the St. Clara’s organization and
the residents of the facility. She revisited her personal history,
noting her father-in-law, her daughter, and her husband had all been
a part of the St. Clara’s mission. She said what she had found was
an extended family that she held dear including the staff and
residents.
Reifsteck noted a big improvement in the new facility over the old.
She said “I want to be here when the ladies and gentlemen in therapy
walk in to work with their clients with open windows instead of a
picture of an open window. I want to see the residents who right now
don’t want to give up their roommates because they have become good
friends. But now, there is a corner where they can go together and
visit as good friends still.”
Reifsteck encouraged all to become involved, and she invited
everyone to “come be a part of our family.”
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column] |
Lincoln
Mayor Seth Goodman also spoke along with Dolan Dalpoas, President of
ALMH, and Ben Hart President and CEO of Heritage Operations Group,
the ‘mother company’ that now owns St. Clara’s along with Castle
Manor and several other nursing and independent living communities.
Mayor
Goodman brought a very lighthearted note to the event when he said
he thought he knew what he was going to say in his address, but
after seeing the facility, “It is obviously beautiful and right now
I’m trying to figure out who to beg to lower the age limit so I can
move in!”
Goodman also recalled that he is a former employee of St. Clara’s
Manor, working there in dietary when he was 15 years old. He spoke
of the friendships he build and the bonds that have remained.
Goodman closed by congratulating St. Clara’s on a wonderful new
facility that was an asset to the community.
Dolan
Dalpoas thanked the administration at St. Clara’s for the invitation
to be a part of the momentous event. He congratulated them on a
wonderful new facility and said he could personally sympathize with
the worries, waiting, and anticipation of being part of a major
construction project.
Dalpoas would go on to remember the day when ALMH was located within
a block of St. Clara’s. He said he missed that closeness, and was so
pleased to once again have St. Clara’s in his back yard.
Dalpoas also spoke about the quality of health care in Logan County
with excellent doctors and excellent facilities.
Ben
Hart, the President and CEO of Heritage Operations was the last
person to speak. He congratulated St. Clara’s and their boards and
staff saying they along with facilities like Castle Manor, Heritage
had the courage and foresight to develop these kind of facilities in
the community.
He concluded saying, “for the next many decades, into the future
Lincoln will be served very well in care for their seniors.”
Woolard returned at the end of the presentations to offer up one
last note of appreciation. She said “There is not enough room on the
program for the many things to the Woods Foundation for their
contribution.” She acknowledged Bill and Lori Bates who were present
for the presentation. Woolard concluded, “Tonight we officially
unveil the Woods Rehab Gym.”
As Reifsteck had eluded earlier, the physical therapy gym is located
at the front of the main entrance, and has ceiling to floor windows
on multiple sides so that those exercising can look outside while
they workout.
Common areas and community rooms are comfortable with
tables for cards, board games or coffee with friends. There are
large areas with cozy seating grouped nicely around electric
fireplaces, and at the end of each wind is a small private gathering
area where friends and residents can gather in small intimate groups
for visiting.
The new Activity room is staged with tables and cares as well as
sink and oven, and is right around the corner from a coffee clutch
area.
One big question for many during the construction of the new
facility was about the stained glass windows located in the chapel
of the old building. Those windows have been carefully removed and
brought to the new facility and are once again an important part of
the St. Clara’s Chapel.
Scattered throughout the building are wonderful living plant walls
such as this one that is part of the main entry. Overhead the plants
are filtered sky lights that glow down on the plants in the day time
and provide them with the light they need to thrive.
The resident rooms are simply furnished with a bed, night stand, and
one arm chair, and flat screen television, leaving plenty of room
for personalization by the occupant.
For those wishing to see this wonderful new facility, there will be
a public open house held on Sunday December 15th from 1 p.m. to 5
p.m.
[Nila Smith] |
