Posted: 9/13/05
Assisted living facility open in Spring Grove
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
The City of Spring Grove now has an assisted living facility.
Spring Grove Assisted Living opened on September 1 at 130 Fifth Avenue Southeast. It will host an open house this Saturday and Sunday from 2-5 p.m.
The new facility is a welcome addition, city administrator Tom Falbo said on September 10. He said it gives the city ìlifecycle housing,î meaning there are housing options for everyone, from first time buyers to the elderly.
ìOur assisted living facility helps make us that kind of community, where we do have housing available for every population.î
Planning for the assisted living facility got underway in 2003. People and health care professionals felt the need was there, so planners contacted the Soppa family of St. Charles, which operates a 42-unit facility in that city.
Planners toured the Soppa facility in St. Charles and were impressed, Falbo said. ìWhen we looked at it, it was like, ëItís no question. Itís something that would fit well [in Spring Grove].íî
The Tweeten Foundation, which provides health care needs for the elderly, donated the land for the building, which is located across the street from Gundersen Clinic Spring Grove. Foundation members, city officials, and the Soppas combined to help bring it to a reality, Falbo said.
Having assisted living in Spring Grove is very positive, he added. ìThis way people in our community can stay here,î he said. ìThey donít have to go to a neighboring community to reside.î
Another option
Carol Nerstad, the housing manager for the 20-unit facility, said the effort to build it in Spring Grove also received the support of Houston County and the City of Spring Grove, both of which offered tax abatements. ìSo itís kind of been a compilation of a lot of different entities bringing this together,î Nerstad said.
The facility has two different sized studio apartments, plus one-bedroom apartments. Residents receive three meals a day, weekly laundry and housekeeping
ìWe have people in the building 24 hours a day,î Nerstad said.
The facility also has an emergency response system in which a resident can push a pendant which goes to a pager. The facility has a registered nurse who oversees medical care.
The goal of the facility is to take care of people who are at risk for nursing home placement and have chronic needs, Nerstad said.
This would include people who are finding it difficult to stay home, prepare meals, and keep the house clean, Nerstad said. ìThis is just another option for them. Theyíre just finding that theyíre struggling more than they need to.
ìWeíre kind of in between independent living and nursing homes,î she added. ìItís another option, an option we havenít had in Spring Grove ever. We think this is a good addition to the Spring Grove community.î
The facility could give residents a better social environment too, Nerstad feels. ìThat also plays a big role in a personís well-being as well.î
Anyone who wants more information can call Nerstad at 507-498-4000.
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