WesleyLife

5508 NW 88th Street
Johnston, IA 50131
1.800.678.1518
515.271.6719
Fax: 515.271.6898

Transforming Services in Pella

In January of 2010, Pella Regional Health Center (PRHC) gifted WesleyLife ownership of the senior services offered at Pella Manor, Fairhaven East and Jefferson Place. This gift came in two phases. The first was the adoption of all current services in these three buildings. The second phase included WesleyLife building new Assisted Living Services to replace Hilltop, and nursing care services to replace the long-term care being offered at PRHC.

WesleyLife named this new community Hearthstone, a Ministry of WesleyLife, to reflect the Christian values that Wesley represents. Today, Hearthstone provides independent living apartments at Pella Manor, catered independent living at Fair Haven East, and skilled nursing care at Jefferson Place. Now, less than two years after the generous gift from PRHC, WesleyLife is pursuing a plan to further transform services in the second phase of the Hearthstone
campus.

Plans are still in the early stages, but Hearthstone is looking to establish a new community that will include up to 50 assisted living apartments and 60 additional nursing care beds. Plans also include shortterm rehabilitation/skilled care suites at the current Jefferson Place location. This is ideally located near PRHC physicians and services.

The initial vision for the assisted living community includes "neighborhoods" of 16-20 residents in individual apartments. These neighborhoods will provide individualized support to meet resident health and wellness needs.

"Our mission is to provide for the independence, health and wellbeing of older adults wherever they call home," says Nancy Hamilton, Executive Director of Hearthstone. "We have a magnificent opportunity to design new buildings based on the needs of our seniors in the Pella Community and proven models of care. We plan to develop our community based on a social model.

"We know that outcomes are better for those who live in a social environment; the types of environments that promote wellness and purpose," Hamilton continues.

This model is also ideal for Hearthstone Team Members.

"Our Team Members work in an environment where they know the residents they serve," Hamilton says. "They are encouraged to learn individual resident histories, interests, and preferences to ensure that they can support residents in finding their purpose. Team Members are empowered to make decisions that impact resident quality of life. This leads to a greater sense of purpose and satisfaction for our Team Members."

Hearthstone hopes to break ground on the new assisted living and nursing community in the spring of 2012.

"This development will have a tremendous impact on Pella and the surrounding community," Hamilton says. "We get calls regularly from families needing nursing care, and regrettably some have to move their loved one out of Pella to receive the care they need. There just aren't enough beds available in the community.

"Hearthstone's new development will increase access and allow those in need to live and receive care locally," Hamilton continues. "The kind of care that reflects the Christian values of the Pella community in an environment they can call home."