La Donna Junghans and Duane Blythe, Co-chairs of the Aging Well project. LaDonna told Junction city Breakfast Optimist Club members this past week that “Aging Well is a non-profit organization with a mission to serve elders and their families in an honorable way with skilled nursing, assisted living, and supportive senior housing.
The entire campus will be focused on an environment where Elder’s lives are purposeful not passive, staff are motivated by person not process and home is intentional not institutional.”
While currently in Phase 1, the plan for services includes 3 small homes providing personalized skilled care for 36 elders in a family environment and 14 assisted living apartments. The financial campaign goal in this phase is to raise $13.5 million; grants, foundations and private donations of $3.5 million and a USDA loan of $10 million.
The facility will be located on what is being called the Spring Valley Campus. This location is at the northeast side of the intersections of Highway 18 and Spring Valley Road.
Junghans also stated that “This facility will be more than brick and mortar, but a place of pride with an option for those who have a need for health care (in this type of setting) in our area. There is evidence that workers in this field leave Geary County to work in facilities in other counties. We want to get those workers back here.”
Blythe shared that “the last non-profit facility for elders was the Good Samaritan on Spruce Street. Aging Well would be owned by the community as a senior living campus.” He also encouraged people “to donate to Aging Well during Match Day on October 12 at the Municipal Building or online. Fifty cents on every dollar will be matched that day towards reaching Aging Well’s financial goal.
Aging Well will give elders who are on Medicare, Medicaid or are private pay another option. The plan is to have the facility ready for occupancy by Christmas of 2022” Blythe said.