Life Care of Bardstown unveils new wing and facility renovations
Michelle Downs, a physical therapy assistant at Life Care of Bardstown demonstrates how The Alter-G Anti-Gravity Treadmill works. The Alter-G allows the user to exercise without needing to support 100 percent of their body weight. Click to enlarge.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013, 7 p.m. — Seventeen months after breaking ground, Life Care of Bardstown unveiled Thursday the results of its $6 million expansion and renovation project to the public.
The project added a 5,200 sq. ft. residential wing and a 2,600 sq. ft. therapy gym that replaces a smaller space previous used for therapy services.
When asked about the goal of the project, Life Care chairman Forrest L. Preston said the company understands the importance of responding to the changing nature of long-term healthcare.
“We have a responsiblity to do our very best for patients, and we have a responsibility to answer their families, he said.
Preston was one of a number of company officials on hand at the open house to welcome guests touring the facility.
The focus of the new wing of the facility is “rehab to home,” which targets patients who need therapy services with the goal of returning to their home.
The $6 million project included the construction of a new wing with 15 new private rooms, conversion of 15 semi-private rooms to private rooms, and complete renovation inside the facility. Click to enlarge.
The new wing includes a bistro where residents can enjoy their meals in a cafe-style atmosphere.
The project also includes construction of a new garage, entryway and a new courtyard. The rest of the facility, including patient rooms, have been completely renovated with new finishes, fixtures and flat-screen TVs throughout.
In addition to the 15 new private rooms in the new wing, the renovation also included conversion of 15 semi-private rooms to private rooms. This was done to meet the growing number of requests by families for private rooms.
THERAPY UPGRADES. The new therapy gym is outfitted with the latest technology to help patients meet their rehabilitation goals.
Forrest W. Preston, chairman of Life Care, talks about the facility upgrades with people touring the new wing. Click to enlarge.
One of the new pieces of equipment is the Alter-G, which operates like a treadmill with a big difference. The Alter-G allows the user to exercise on the treadmill without worry of falling, tripping or losing balance by supporting their weight.
The Alter-G allows therapists to control the amount of weight patients support while exercising. For joint replacement patients, this means being able to exercise the first week of their surgery, and can cut rehab time by almost half.
The new gym equipment also allows therapist to assess an individual’s risk for falling by testing them for strength, endurance, and balance on the new Biodex Balance System.
Business leaders, healthcare providers and elected officials were among the crowds who toured the facility Tuesday.
Bardstown Mayor Bill Sheckles and Nelson County Judge-Executive Dean Watts were on separate tours that met in the new wing’s hallway, and each took time to offer their observations of the completed project.
“This is a state-of-the-art facility,” Bardstown Mayor Bill Sheckles said during his tour. He recalled that his mother was one of the first employees hired when the facility — then known as Federal Hill — opened. “When they broke ground a year-and-a-half ago, I never thought it would wind up looking like this.”
Nelson County Judge-Executive Dean Watts called the facility “as nice as any facility I’ve been in — ever. I can tell they put extra emphasis on making people feel more at home,” he said. “It’s a great asset to the community.”
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