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New look, new location, new name
By Connie Beard
Published August 29, 2009
Parkview Care Center has a new name and its residents have a new home.
The $7 million facility is now Brentwood Terrace and is located at 2885 Stillhouse Road. It’s less than a mile from the old facility, but it’s a whole new experience.
Residents now look upon a rolling tree-lined meadow, instead of a street. The new building is a far cry from the old, with larger than usual rooms for residents, dedicated dining areas, Internet capability in all rooms and most public areas, private baths with showers and more. The staff also benefits with state-of-the-art record keeping, a dedicated employee lounge and a fresh, clean place to work.
“This is a beautiful place that will be welcomed by the public. We expect a tremendous response. A health care facility is important and we take care of our residents in the best possible way,” said Will Council, president and CEO of Diversicare, a subsidiary of Advocat Inc. based in Brentwood, Tenn. The company acquired Parkview in August 2007.
“We’re thrilled to bring this product to Paris. We’re putting a great product in front of Paris. It’s the prettiest building and best care in town,” he said.
Tuesday was moving day for residents and staff, who were able to relocate to a brand new nursing home in less time than planned.
“The way we set it up, we had a sending team and a receiving team. We took vital signs and moved residents with a nurse. We moved the ambulatory patients first. We are way ahead of schedule,” said Terena Raidt Tuesday afternoon. Raidt is vice president, marketing, for Diversicare.
Breakfast was served at the old location, and the noon meal was boxed lunches. Dinner was served in the new facility.
With the new facility, the company is able to provide three distinct product lines — traditional long-term care, a secure area for Alzheimer’s and dementia residents and dedicated care for short-term patients.
Residents in the long-term area enjoy rooms with individual climate control and electric beds, a welcome change from the old facility. The large rooms were quickly filling up with the residents’ personal possessions Tuesday as they unpacked after the move.
Dorothy Mock said she loves her new room as she hung clothes in her new closet.
Mildred Walks, another long-term resident, had barely begun opening her boxes. “I’m still unpacking,” she declared.
Kenneth Norris sat outside the front door of the facility enjoying the view. “It’s different,” he said with a smile.
Brentwood Terrace was built with a modern kitchen, which includes a walk-in freezer. Residents will now be able to order meals from a menu, enjoy a cappuccino and dine on fine china. They can also request room service.
The Alzheimer’s unit, termed the Lighthouse Project, is a dedicated, secure area. Residents are free to roam and can venture outside to enjoy fresh air on a patio and walk along a short paved path through the grass. The staff here has its own nurse and medicine station.
“Our Life Steps unit is a short-term area for folks who need rehabilitation from a stroke or knee surgery before they go back home,” Council said.
This wing is also self-contained and has a beauty spa, a whirlpool room and a private dining room where family and friends can gather for important events.
A therapy room features all styles of treatment, including Nintendo Wii. A complete bathroom with shower there is used to help residents learn how to function at home and shows relatives how to create a safe environment for them when they return home. There also is a self-contained kitchen where residents can learn how to prepare and serve meals.
“We do everything we can to make it safe for them to go home,” Raidt said.
“Health care has changed a lot in the past 15 to 20 years, but there’s still a long-term element. We do have a larger short-term population who will be able to go back to their homes. We’re excited about that part of the business. It’s fun to send folks back home,” Council said.
Care for residents is also state-of-the-art with a paperless charting system, which is being installed near the rooms.
“It’s very useful,” Raidt said. “Some people’s writing is unreadable and these (records) are in real time.” And more secure, she added.
The new facility has 119 beds (up from 89 at the former facility) and 19 private rooms. The full-service nursing and rehabilitation facility broke ground in the spring of 2008, using mostly local contractors.
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