The addition of mid- to late-stage memory care services to the city of Washington took a step forward last night when Halcyon House, a WesleyLife Ministry, received a $750,000 Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) grant to be used directly toward construction of a memory support household. During the WCRF’s fall award ceremony, the organization announced its pledge of support totaling $750,000, to be paid over five years, to the community’s $10.55 million expansion and renovation project.
With Wednesday’s grant announcement, Halcyon House can continue planning for expansion, which includes replacement of Avalon House, its skilled nursing center. Current plans include development of three skilled nursing households, each with 18 private bedroom and bathroom suites. One household would be licensed for memory care, bringing services for mid- to late-stage memory loss to Washington, preventing local residents from having to move at least 20 minutes away–if not even farther–to receive care. The other two households would provide round-the-clock nursing care, including services for people receiving short-term rehabilitation therapy following a hospital stay.
“We are elated for this gift, which is a strong endorsement of community support for Halcyon House,” says Halcyon House Executive Director Chris Marshall. “This transformational expansion and renovation will meet the urgent need for mid- to late-stage memory loss while also enhancing long-term nursing care and short-term nursing and rehab with households designed as individual homes to promote independence and social engagement.”
Jim Logan, Executive Director of the Washington County Riverboat Foundation, says supporting the Halcyon House expansion and renovation is a perfect fit for the foundation. “The foundation’s purpose is to complete important projects to make the Washington county community a better place to live and work.” He adds, “this project received overwhelming support of the foundations’ board of directions as it was clear it’ll directly improve the development and beautification of our greater Washington community, grow our economy through the addition of jobs and meet the human and social needs of our older adults right here in our community.”
Each of the households will embrace the latest philosophies of skilled nursing care, providing each resident with a private room and bath as well as access to large common areas and an open kitchen where residents can gather for meals and programming and enjoy time with friends and family. Each household will be staffed with team members who fill multiple roles, just like in a true household, where everyone pitches in to make a house a home.
The project also would include a new front entrance for Halcyon House off South Avenue B as well as renovated dining spaces and a new multi-purpose room, which would be available for Washington-area meetings and events.
As part of the WesleyLife network of services for older persons, Halcyon House’s plans will require approval of WesleyLife’s volunteer board of directors at its next meeting in December. With the board’s approval, construction would begin in summer 2015 with completion in summer 2016.