Construction underway at Elim Home
Posted 6/5/03

The Milaca Elim Home is undergoing some changes.

Planning for the new construction began in January, 2002. But the actual construction process on the renovation/addition project began on Tuesday, May 27.

An additional 7,000 square feet is being added to the facility, mainly to incorporate more private rooms but also to renovate the physical therapy facility, the commons areas and upgrade the handicap bathrooms.

The Elim Home, a non-profit facility owned by the Evangelical Free Church of America, was built in 1964 and originally had 72 beds.

In 1978, the east wing was added along with 47 more beds. In 1989 the front office area was added to the building. Fourteen years later, two more sections are being added to the home.

Elim Home Administrator Jay Rensenbrink said, ³We badly need to upgrade and keep pace with the new demands and expectations of the elderly.

³To stay competitive with the many options that are available, we must upgrade and become more user friendly.²

While 24 additional private rooms will be added, some of which will be in the new addition at the north end of the east wing, the actual number of rooms will decrease.

The facility had a maximum of 119 residents, but will now hold 103.

Social service director Laura Broberg said, ³The biggest problem with most residents coming into the nursing home is having to share a room with a stranger after years of being independent.²

Broberg and Judy Vanderlinden are responsible for resident admissions and discharges and are also advocates for the residents, making sure the residentsı rights are in place and are enforced.

Even though the facility will hold fewer residents, Rensenbrink and Broberg feel it will benefit many of those who are already requesting the private rooms.

While Rensenbrink says, ³Some tremendously strong relationships have come from residents sharing a room,² it gives those less comfortable another option.

³It will eliminate a lot of roommate issues,² Broberg added.

So who will get the new private rooms? Itıll be based on seniority - not age, but whoıs been at the Elim Home longer.

A new dining facility will be incorporated on the east side of the nurses station.

While the main cooking for residents will be done in a central location, heated steam tables will transport the food to the three individual dining sites.

And residents will still be able to do some baking and cooking at the individual sites during activity programs.

There will be several more smaller commons areas, which Rensenbrink says will be more intimate. And theyıll maintain the larger commons areas as well.

The Elim Home will also have better grouping of what the administrator refers to as ³neighborhoods.²

³Hopefully it will enhance the community component of it,² Broberg added.

³Staffing will be the same in that neighborhood, so theyıll get to know the staff on a more personal basis. There will be more continuity and more self-contained units.²

Rensenbrink said the Elim Home has done considerable preparation for the construction on behalf of the residents. Closing down an entire wing so construction takes place in one location at a time, for example.

³It takes longer, but it minimizes the impact on the residents,² Rensenbrink said.

Physical therapy is a major component of the Elim Home.

The department will be double in size when construction is complete.

³Weıre very proud of our physical therapy, occupational therapy department,² Rensenbrink said.

³People often think of nursing homes as old people sitting around dying,² he added. ³A considerable amount of people who use the physical therapy facilities are then discharged out again.²

Last year, between 35-40 residents were in the Elim Home for two to six weeks ³Our physical therapy department is wonderful - very aggressive and thorough. And we really work as a team to transition them back into the community and make sure theyıre ready to make it a successful endeavor,² Broberg said.

The Elim Home is receiving some state and federal monies to help with the renovation project, along with financing through Bremer Bank.

Residents and family members are supportive of the undertaking, according to Rensenbrink.

³Iıve always been very impressed with how enthusiastic the community has been with supporting and participating in the life of Elim Home - both the facility and the residents,² Rensenbrink said.

The project is anticipated to be complete by March, 2004.