The Holiday season is a time to decorate one’s domicle and invite family and/or friends to visit. Imagine the anticipation and preparation to greet scores of visitors to 20 new, Assisted Living residences–units–within three recently-opened areas at Resthave Retirement & Nursing Home, 408 Maple Avenue, Morrison, IL. The facility reached this triumphant goal after three years of fund acquisition, planning, constuction, decision making, and moving from old rooms to new.
Guidance, plans, and construction were provided by Revere Healthcare, Gleason Architectural, and Lamp, Inc. Construction.
Loan funding is provided through THE National Bank of Morrison, City of Morrison Revolving Loan Fund, and United States Department of Agriculture.
Currently there are three wings with 20 rooms and 18 residents, including two couples. The monthly fee includes utilities, cable television service, and meals. Telephone costs are not provided.
- Dimensions of the single-unit rooms are 21′ x 10′ 3/4″ and 19′ x 7′ 3/4″ with a cost of $3600 per month.
- Dimensions of the double-unit rooms are 24′ x 10′ 3/4″ and 19′ x 7′ 3/4″ with a cost of $5250 per month. The bathroom is larger; there are two bedroom closets.
Staff members were involved on several levels, one of which was decor that creates a warm and modern look. Invacare Interior Design, based in St. Louis, MO, created the concept. Staff made trips to St. Louis and Milwaukee, WI, to choose furniture. They also chose the color palette throughout. The Assisted Living Lounge is painted soft teal. A textured woven carpet in neutral tones has the look of knitted yarn.
Shown left-to-right in the lounge are Executive Director of Assisted Living Tami Tegeler; Clinical Home Coordinator for Assisted Living Eva Dykstra; Nursing Administrator Kristi Christiansen.
“They’re [residents] so delighted with the amount of space!” remarked Christiansen.
Large windows on two sides have wide blinds to reduce the light when needed and patterned valances. Artwork embelishes the walls.
For entertainment there are a flat-screen television and game table for four. Its top reverses from a chess/checkerboard motif to green felt for card playing. Board games are stored within easy reach in a glass-front credenza.
One of two couples in the Assisted Living Area are Herbert and Gertrude Londo of Morrison. “We have always lived in the area. Gertrude is from Erie/Fenton[, IL].” They have been married since 1945, 68 years, he smiled.
Like all residents, the Londos were able to personalize their space with their own furniture. Gertrude displayed her Christmas decorations to add a homey touch.
A small flat-screen television fits perfectly to the left of the pretty grandfather clock–too precious not to bring with them. They also added a large closet at the entry.
The Londos are one of three residents/couples who have computers. At his desk, Herbert accessed the free Wifi wireless internet service to find thecity1.com. The Editor showed him how to navigate the site and find the recent obituary of the Londos’ friend.
Upon learning that the couple would be featured on the Home Page Slideshow, the site was bookmarked for his convenience. He smiled at that.
Couples’ rooms are slightly larger than singles, with extra space in the bathroom, and individual bedroom closets. A window brightens both rooms; carpet warms the living room and bedroom; vinyl flooring in the kitchen/entry is easy to clean. Convenient for snacks or beverages is a stacked, combination refrigerator-freezer-microwave oven, seen at right in the photo.
The new Nursing wing kitchen will be used to feed the entire building and is expected to be framed in during the week of December 16. In the newly-completed Activity Kitchen, cooking/baking classes are being considered for residents. Another idea is to have small groups of about four prepare and eat their own meal together here–as they were used to doing in their former homes. Next spring and summer, growing vegetables to serve in the facility may be offered to interested residents.
Phase Two expansion will create Nursing units, and it has begun. The facility is licensed currently to handle only 49 Nursing beds, but soon they will handle 70. Those will mostly be private single rooms, but three will be designed for couples. Work will take 18 months. This will require more caretakers; several applications for staff positions are on file.
In Phase Three, 17 Assisted Living units will be added in addition to kitchen/dining space and offices.
There is understandably a waiting list for those desiring Assisted Living and Nursing units. It was this need that drove–and continues to drive–the expansion at Resthave Home. See for yourself by calling 815-772-4021.