MONROE — Pleasant View Nursing Home showed gratitude for countywide support Friday by hosting an open house to show off newly renovated facilities.
Pleasant View Administrator Terry Snow said attendance at the nursing home was steady throughout the morning and assumed it was likely to continue as members of the public toured the physical therapy wing that replaced administrative offices, checked on administrative offices that were moved to the lower level where therapy had previously been housed and admired a festively decorated lobby area which replaced an aging three-car garage.
She noted that so far, people had been “pretty impressed.”
The grateful feelings, Snow said, were not in conjunction with the changes, but for the positive outcome of a referendum on the November ballot. The question asked citizens whether they would agree to a tax-neutral request to exceed the state levy limit by $790,000 annually for six years beginning in 2019.
Voters passed the referendum with nearly 54 percent in favor and a total of 9,738 votes. There were 6,786 votes against it.
The resolution for the referendum, passed during a Green County Board of Supervisors meeting Aug. 21, states that the funds be used for both “a portion of the cost of the operational and capital expenses” of Pleasant View.
County Clerk Mike Doyle had said previously that the 60-year-old building would have closed years before if it had not been for previous voter support. He noted that the capital funds, money set aside in order to avoid borrowing during needed projects, would likely be used for maintenance updates.
Snow said the same Friday. The work that was already completed is referred to as Phase 1, she added.
The relocation and remodeling began in May and was completed in September. The lower-level physical therapy had narrow hallways and required inconvenient elevator rides to get patients to appointments. Three open rooms were sectioned off to create roughly a dozen administrative offices.
Snow’s own office, which included a large conference room on the first floor, became the salon where residents go to have their hair appointments. The open floorplan of the physical therapy wing has natural light flowing from windows on every wall. Faux wood floor spans out to hold an assortment of exercise machines. Another portion of the area, separated by just one wall, allows for residents to relearn certain tasks as a means to getting back home.
The $1.2 million project was overseen by architecture firm Community Living Solutions LLC of Appleton, which contracted work with a number of companies, including Monroe Glass. Funding was secured through a three-year savings in the Pleasant View capital fund.
Work plans incorporated the growing trend of private spaces in nursing homes. Five rooms on one wing were converted to four and while before residents would have to shower in a communal bathroom used by everyone, the rooms now have their own bathrooms. Snow said the facility wanted to adapt to a shift in patient desires to have more privacy.
The biggest change was at the main entrance. Snow said in the past, visitors were confused about which door to use and that the steep entrance slightly south of a three-car garage could not be used because of safety concerns. The renovations changed that by eliminating the garage, generally used to house one or two emergency vehicles and a facility car, and putting a reception area in place. The space housed the Gift of Light Tree during the tours on Friday, remembering or honoring loved ones with a light and their name.
Phase 2, which Snow said will likely not begin for a few years, would address the small bathrooms. She noted the age of the original structure and how laws and understanding of use by those with disabilities has changed. They are also considering a shift to a modern dining area.
However, Snow said the facility wants to maintain a level of conservative spending. The project would likely be completed in steps, or portions at a time, given the $6 million estimate for the work.
