Good Samaritan Society – International Falls to offer additional services

“We are really excited about this,” Adam Coe, the organization’s administrator told The Journal Thursday.

Coe said the building is expected to be operational by July and will offer 24 private, long-term care apartments to members of the community.

“We won’t just be replacing our nursing home, we’ll be adding a whole new level of care,” he said.

Coe explained the apartment-style design was driven largely by consumer demand.

“The baby boomer generation has very high expectations of quality, environment and, of course, care,” he said in a statement issued last week. “Right now, they are making choices for their parents as well as themselves. It is common for residential-style assisted-living facilities to have shared bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and living areas. Our apartments offer a fully-private retreat with a bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchenette. This way, a resident in the Northwinds Assisted Living facility can maintain as much privacy as personality and care needs require.”

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, four out five people age 65 or older will require some type of senior care in their lifetime. The same report states that between the years 2000 and 2050, the population of Minnesotans age 85 will more than double from 90,000 to 250,000.

The care needs of local seniors have evolved in a market where the number of care options have not kept pace.

Coe said there are local residential options for assisted living in the International Falls community, but that number is limited. This has led to a growing number of people with less-acute needs, staying with Good Samaritan instead, because the space was available, he said.

“Building the Northwinds Assisted Living complex allows us to add 24 assisted-living options to our community members,” Coe explained. “This also means that there will be more availability of our skilled-nursing home suites for those with higher care needs.”

A release highlighted that assisted living differs from skilled-nursing care. The key difference is that those in skilled-nursing homes require a higher level of skilled medical care than someone in assisted living. The two also differ in cost and the way the services are regulated by state and federal agencies.

“The bottom line is that Good Samaritan Society – International Falls will be adding to its continuum of care in order to provide services true to its mission of providing shelter and services to older persons and others in need,” according to the release.

Northwinds Assisted Living will be designed in three neighborhoods, each with eight apartments. In addition to the apartments, each neighborhood will have its own laundry, storage and staff support spaces. Also, one neighborhood will have a workshop and craft room, another will house a greenhouse space and the third will provide a wellness room. While these will be located in separate neighborhoods, all residents will be able to enjoy them, Coe said.

“As of Tuesday, we started formally taking applications for these assisted-living apartments,” Coe said. “People are interested in the service, and we will be filling the apartments with people who meet the application criteria.”

Northwinds will feature 24-hour staffing, supportive services and customized health care options, Coe said. Assisted-living communities provide or coordinate oversight and services to meet residents’ individualized needs. Services are based on the residents’ assessments and service plans, taking into account unscheduled needs as they arise.

Coe also explained that the new Good Samaritan facility will create about 15 new jobs, and the organization will seek applicants for the positions within in the coming months.

An informational meeting for the community about Northwinds Assisted Living is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday in the current Good Samaritan’s main dining room. For more information, call Danette Nixon, senior living manager, at 285-9563.