Retirement community plans campus expansion

Retirement community plans campus expansion

Holland Home's Breton Woods campus in Grand Rapids. Courtesy Holland Home

A retirement community is planning to break ground on the expansion of a local campus this summer.

Holland Home, a nonprofit provider of senior services in Grand Rapids, said this week that it will expand its Breton Rehabilitation and Living Centre on the Breton Woods campus to add a new rehabilitation center and memory care assisted living unit, at 2772 Pfeiffer Woods Drive SE.

Holland Home plans to break ground on the 4,560-square-foot rehabilitation facility and a 13,390-square-foot assisted living unit in late August.

The project is anticipated to continue until fall 2015.

Firms

The designer for the expansion project is Post Associates Architects in Grand Rapids.

Erhardt Construction in Ada will serve as general contractor for the project.

Expanding

The multi-million dollar expansion is expected to add between 10 and 15 positions at the Breton Woods campus, which will accommodate universal workers, nursing and social work support.

The project features several elements: a rehabilitation gym accommodating physical and occupational therapy and exercise equipment; renovation and re-decoration of the current Breton Rehabilitation and Living Centre building; and the construction of the 15 bed, single-story living unit.

The expansion is expected to quadruple capacity of the rehabilitation program at the Breton Woods campus and will be connected to the assited living unit, which features various spaces: private rooms and bathrooms, a communal dining and living area, spa, nurses station, administrative office and linen rooms.

The memory care assisted living unit was designed to meet standards and codes required for skilled nursing facilities.

A certificate of need waiver was approved for the renovations at Breton Rehabilitation and Living Centre, while a certificate was not required for the addition of adult foster care beds.

Senior care

Mina Breuker, chief operating officer of Holland Home, said a feature of the assisted living unit is a lift system with a built-in track, making it possible for one person to safely transfer a resident from the bed to a chair or to the bathroom.

Sara Heethuis, executive director at Breton Woods campus of Holland Home, said the assisted living facility's private room units and personal bathrooms will help provide a comfortable atmosphere for residents.

“The layout is more of a home-like environment and not an institutional-like place,” Heethuis said. “Honestly, they want their setting as home-like as possible. It only enhances their quality of life, joy and happiness every day.”

Heethuis said the campus is creating the rehabilitation gym and assisted living facility to meet a need for the campus and its residents.

“Assisted living is something we have wanted to do now for a long time, and it is necessary; it is just needed," Heethuis said. "And we wanted to be able to provide the very best therapy.”

David Claus, president and chief executive officer at Holland Home, said the expansion project will result in the ability to provide a range of services on the campus.

Holland Home

Founded in 1982, Holland Home is considered a continuing care retirement community and employs more than 1,250 while serving at least 3,300 people each day.

The nonprofit senior services provider has three residential campus: Breton Woods, Fulton and Raybrook.