EXTENDED CARE CENTER UNDERGOING MAJOR RENOVATION

EXTENDED CARE CENTER UNDERGOING MAJOR RENOVATION

New Community Extended Care Center lobby being renovated by workers from NCC’s Environmental Services Department.
New Community Extended Care Center lobby being renovated by workers from NCC’s Environmental Services
Department.

From the front lobby to the resident rooms, the New Community Extended Care Center is undergoing a major renovation that promises to totally transform the 180-bed facility, making the environment and interior structure more welcoming and modern.

“We realize this is ‘home’ for our residents so we want to enhance its attractiveness and also physically upgrade the facility,” explained Betty Lawson, Administrator of Extended Care.

The renovation of the five-story facility is being conducted in phases as to ensure minimal disruption to residents, visitors and employees alike. Richard Rohrman, CEO of New Community, called the renovation “a very exciting project for us.”

“We have the chance to give back to our seniors by upgrading and modernizing their living space,” he said.

According to Rohrman, the renovation of Extended Care is part of “an ongoing effort to improve our residential properties across the board.”

“We will be investing over $15M in the next two years in improvements to our resident’s homes. Stable housing is the number one requirement for a healthy lifestyle for our seniors and families. We have introduced doctor’s offices into some of our senior housing and believe strongly in the power of combining healthcare and housing,” he said.

Opened in 1986, the Extended Care Center contains skilled nursing beds, an Adult Medical Day Care Program and on-site rehabilitation center operated by Kessler. Also included in the renovation will be a sub-acute wing that accommodates shorter-stay residents, such as those recovering from a heart attack or other illness that renders someone unable to return home following their release from the hospital.

Rehabilitation of the facility, being led by NCC’s own Environmental Services Department, began with the lobby and reception/security area, which is newly designed and where the décor is also being enhanced by interior decorator Billie Jean Suggs to reflect the atmosphere and comfort of an upscale hotel.

“The feedback has been positive,” said Avril Cunningham, Director of Social Services at Extended Care. “It is very important because I think a lot of families make a decision by what they see. They see a beautiful building and that is what attracts them. We will have a new look to match our excellent medical care.”

Robert Cook, 59, president of the Extended Care Center’s resident association, who has made the facility his home for the past four years, said he can hardly wait for the renovation to be completed.

“From the looks of things, it’s going to be very nice when they get finished with it. It gives the building a new facelift,” he said.

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