By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer
December 16, 2008 08:42 pm
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OTTUMWA — With Ottumwa Manor closed, Good Samaritan is trying to bring in a solution.
Dana Holland, executive director of the Good Samaritan Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, asked Wapello County supervisors for their support in building a new facility on their grounds.
Holland wasn’t asking for financial support, just a letter of support from the board. The supervisors all thought it was a great opportunity.
A new skilled nursing care center is pending approval for the Good Samaritan Center, 2035 Chester Ave.
“This is [a place] where [residents] need more care than assisted or independent living. They need some rehabilitation,” Holland said.
He said the planning started back in October and they moved quickly when there was an opportunity to submit an application to the Iowa Certificate of Needs Board.
“They have the authority to approve or disapprove the construction of any medical construction,” he said.
The proposal shows four communities of 15 rooms each.
“The residents will all have their own private spaces,” Holland added. “They will also have communal and small group areas.”
“We are looking at adding all new therapy equipment, adding aquatics therapy and equipment to fit the needs of the residents that will be staying there,” Holland said.
“We are adding 60 new beds ... that brings our total licensure to 206,” Holland said.
If the project is approved, groundbreaking is scheduled to start in October 2009. As far as financing, Holland said that is taken care of.
The estimated cost of the project is roughly $14 million, for the 50,000-square-foot facility. The new facility will be half the size of their current one, but it will not be connected. It will be a separate building with its own staff, adding 50-60 jobs for people in the nursing field.
“The residents will not have private caregivers, but they will have nursing staff and therapists that will meet their needs,” Holland said.
Good Samaritan is having to turn people away because the beds are all full and so are a lot of the other places in the area. Holland said this faculty will definitely help, especially with the closing of Ottumwa Manor.
“We hope with this new facility we won’t have to turn people away. If that happens then we will try and focus on future construction.”
Supervisor Jerry Parker said he can relate to the situation, having to move two of his relatives to other nursing facilities one in Iowa City and one in Albia.
“There’s just no room here now,” he said. “I think this is a great opportunity.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, the county supervisors also approved funding for Emergency Management and several bridge and culvert repairs.
Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.
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