Village Shalom has revealed its plans for a major expansion and repositioning project that will transform the manner in which the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) serves area seniors.
The $47 million project is the first expansion for the nonprofit organization since the establishment of the CCRC in 2000. The plan includes a free-standing Household Model memory care community; new retirement living apartments and courtyard villas; a new common area with dining, service and entertainment amenities; and a major campus renovation that will replace the existing rehab center with a hospitality-driven short-term rehabilitation facility and therapy gym. Construction is anticipated to begin in the early spring of 2017 and wrap up by the fall of 2018.
The Importance of Growth
“This project is a defining moment for our organization,” said Matt Lewis, Village Shalom president and CEO. “We have accomplished much in the last 10 years in terms of strengthening our operations and financial base, but with the changing needs in our industry and the reality of a highly competitive industry, now is the time to take this next step. Village Shalom has served the seniors in our community for over 100 years with the highest quality of care possible and we need to ensure that we can continue providing these services at the highest level for future generations.”
Although Village Shalom serves more than 800 seniors each year through its broad array of residential and community-based services, the growing demand for apartment-style independent living options and the opportunity to embrace the most advanced practices in today’s treatment of memory care and rehab therapy prompted the exploration into this expansion.
Karen Glickstein, chair of the board of directors stated, “We take our mission and the well-being of every individual we serve very seriously. We have come to understand that the increasing demand for the continuum of care Village Shalom provides needed to be addressed in order to fulfill that mission. And we knew we needed to do more for the community we serve, for generations to come. This project will help us achieve both of these goals.”
Community Leadership
The strategic planning committee charged with overseeing the feasibility of this project is chaired by Jim Klein, a member of the board of directors, and is comprised of board members, the management team, industry senior-living experts and members of the community at-large. The committee spent more than a year evaluating a variety of master site plan options before coming to a consensus. The final plan met the committee’s criteria to address two key components in the organization’s mission — the pursuit of excellence in care and the long-term financial sustainability of Village Shalom — the latter being critical to providing over $1.4 million in annual health care services to those in need of financial assistance.
“This committee reflects the broad range of our community and we are honored and very grateful to have the expertise and commitment of these community leaders to guide us through this process,” said Joe Hiersteiner, immediate past president of the Village Shalom board of directors. “We are confident that with this plan, we will ensure that Village Shalom remains at the forefront of the industry, serving our community for a very long time.”
Expansion and Quality of Life
While the expansion will bring a number of new residents to the community, a critical mission-driven component of the project is its positive impact on the quality of life of its existing residents. The project will address this by providing more comprehensive programming, greatly improving the rehab and therapy offerings, and addressing the Alzheimer’s crisis by enhancing the community’s memory care capacity and redefining the manner in which it provides resident care.
Retirement Living Residences
A total of 73 new retirement living apartments and courtyard villas will be constructed on two separate areas of the campus. A newly constructed four-story building that connects to the Village Shalom main campus will house 60 apartments. The other 13 residences will be courtyard villas constructed on a lot adjacent to the existing villa community.
The apartments will come in one- and two- bedroom floor plans ranging from approximately 800 to 1,500 square feet. The courtyard villas will be approximately 1,350 square feet. All residences will include underground parking and a private storage area.
Main Street
The expansion will develop a new 12,000 square foot Main Street common area that will serve as a connector to the new independent living apartments. The Main Street is expected to include an independent living dining venue, a pub, theater, library, media center and day spa. The area will also feature an adjacent outdoor dining and entertainment area.
Memory Care Community
A new free-standing memory care community will be constructed on the northwest side of Village Shalom’s campus. The community will be built and staffed as a true Household Model with four 12-resident households — two for assisted living, and two for skilled nursing. The community will have its own therapy space, salon and chapel. It will also feature a separate adult day care center capable of serving 12-14 participants a day.
The Household Model is an industry best-practice that applies a three-pronged approach to memory care by making homelike adaptations to the design of the physical environment; focusing on the whole person with an emphasis on cognitive, physical and emotional abilities that remain — not on losses; and developing decentralized self-led teams of staff who form deep relationships with the residents they serve.
The Household Model provides a supportive and therapeutic physical environment that offers opportunity and choice. Residents are free to choose how they’ll live each day. That self-determination along with the transformation in philosophy of care creates a lifestyle that offers the comforts of home.
“The Household Model has become the industry’s preeminent method of care for residents experiencing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia,” said Lewis. “Staff, residents and families work together to create purpose and meaning within the household, all of which has been shown to increase resident quality of life and greater social interaction and friendship formation.”
Short-term Rehabilitation and Therapy
The project will also include a major renovation of Village Shalom’s existing space to create a hospitality-style short-term rehabilitation center. The renovation will create 24 private short-term rehabilitation suites.
The repurposing of existing space will also free up more than 5,000 square feet for the creation of a new therapy gym — more than double the size of Village Shalom’s existing therapy space. The gym will feature state-of-the-art equipment, treatment areas and a separate space for aquatic therapy which is vital to providing quality rehabilitation services.
Serving nearly 400 clients a year through short-term rehabilitation stays and outpatient therapy, these non-residential areas of the Village Shalom campus provide a valuable service to the community.
Financing
The expansion will be funded from three sources: (1) independent living entrance fees, (2) tax-exempt financing, and (3) a capital campaign. The campaign will focus exclusively on funding the memory care community and rehabilitation center. A campaign feasibility study is underway to assess potential support.
Public Presentations
Village Shalom will reveal its plans through a series of presentations to take place throughout the summer. A priority program has also been established for those who wish to have the first opportunity to select retirement living apartments and courtyard villas. Priority numbers will be established through fully refundable $1,000 expression of interest deposits. Village Shalom’s goal is to have the majority of the new residences pre-sold prior to breaking ground in the spring of 2017.
Public expansion information sessions will be held on June 8 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Village Shalom Social Hall at 5500 W. 123rd Street in Overland Park. Those interested in attending may RSVP to 913-266-8300. Additional information on the expansion and information sessions is available at www.VillageShalom.org/Future.