While construction crews moved throughout the steel structure, nailing and drilling, St. John's Inc. Chief Operating Officer David Karlin guided a tour of public officials through the half-finished facility Wednesday afternoon.
"What we're constructing isn't an efficient model," he said. "It's a better care model."
Karlin was joined by Shawn Sullivan, secretary of Kansas Department on Aging; Susan Fout, commissioner of community programs; Joe Ewart, commissioner of licensure, certification and evaluation; and Sen. Allen Schmidt, D-Hays.
Rooms in the new nursing home will be more than double the size of the existing rooms at St. John's Hays nursing home.
With more than 80,000 square feet of new construction, almost entirely devoted to resident living space, each private room will be more than 800 square feet per person. The new facility, with 72 private and 12 semi-private rooms arranged in neighborhoods, will connect to St. John's assisted living, which will be renovated inside and out. Some services, such as kitchen services, will be consolidated.
Each neighborhood will have living spaces with fireplaces, kitchenettes, screened-in porches and a saloon or ice cream shop.
"What we're doing is creating a home," he said. "Building a place they will be very comfortable in ... doing everything possible to eliminate the feel of an institution and give them back their home."
Construction for the facility, which is projected to be complete in March, is estimated between $12.5 million and $13 million.
Owned by Wichita-based Via Christi Senior Services, both the St. John's Hays and Victoria campuses will be consolidated into the new building. Karlin said St. John's officials are "in conversations with potential buyers for the Victoria property."
Although the new facility will employ 12 fewer full-time employees, Karlin said, "There will be more hours of employees devoted to residents each day.
"We will need more nursing employees in the new model than we currently employ in all three facilities."
After touring the St. John's construction site, Kansas Department on Aging Secretary Shawn Sullivan took a few moments to discuss the reshaping of Kansas' Medicaid program he and the state's other cabinet secretaries have been tasked with by Gov. Sam Brownback.
Sullivan, who served as a nursing home administrator in Atwood and Lyons, said he is aware of the challenges facing rural Kansas regarding health care options for elderly.
"We're looking at every available alternative to figure out how we can save money or cut costs," he said. "From my particular population of seniors, we're looking to do that by reducing the percentage of seniors we have in nursing homes."
Another cost-reducing option being considered is reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits and "doing a better job of coordinating care," he said.
Coordination of care could involve a managed care system where a care coordinator would assist seniors with chronic illness issues and help them to remain in their own homes.
One avenue that possibly could be used to deliver medical case management, according to Sullivan, would be the 11 Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state.
"What we're constructing isn't an efficient model," he said. "It's a better care model."
Karlin was joined by Shawn Sullivan, secretary of Kansas Department on Aging; Susan Fout, commissioner of community programs; Joe Ewart, commissioner of licensure, certification and evaluation; and Sen. Allen Schmidt, D-Hays.
Rooms in the new nursing home will be more than double the size of the existing rooms at St. John's Hays nursing home.
With more than 80,000 square feet of new construction, almost entirely devoted to resident living space, each private room will be more than 800 square feet per person. The new facility, with 72 private and 12 semi-private rooms arranged in neighborhoods, will connect to St. John's assisted living, which will be renovated inside and out. Some services, such as kitchen services, will be consolidated.
Each neighborhood will have living spaces with fireplaces, kitchenettes, screened-in porches and a saloon or ice cream shop.
"What we're doing is creating a home," he said. "Building a place they will be very comfortable in ... doing everything possible to eliminate the feel of an institution and give them back their home."
Construction for the facility, which is projected to be complete in March, is estimated between $12.5 million and $13 million.
Owned by Wichita-based Via Christi Senior Services, both the St. John's Hays and Victoria campuses will be consolidated into the new building. Karlin said St. John's officials are "in conversations with potential buyers for the Victoria property."
Although the new facility will employ 12 fewer full-time employees, Karlin said, "There will be more hours of employees devoted to residents each day.
"We will need more nursing employees in the new model than we currently employ in all three facilities."
After touring the St. John's construction site, Kansas Department on Aging Secretary Shawn Sullivan took a few moments to discuss the reshaping of Kansas' Medicaid program he and the state's other cabinet secretaries have been tasked with by Gov. Sam Brownback.
Sullivan, who served as a nursing home administrator in Atwood and Lyons, said he is aware of the challenges facing rural Kansas regarding health care options for elderly.
"We're looking at every available alternative to figure out how we can save money or cut costs," he said. "From my particular population of seniors, we're looking to do that by reducing the percentage of seniors we have in nursing homes."
Another cost-reducing option being considered is reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits and "doing a better job of coordinating care," he said.
Coordination of care could involve a managed care system where a care coordinator would assist seniors with chronic illness issues and help them to remain in their own homes.
One avenue that possibly could be used to deliver medical case management, according to Sullivan, would be the 11 Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state.
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