“Our community has an expectation for high-quality health care and CRMC’s current Care Center cannot meet this need,” said CEO Amy Hart adding we do not want residents to have to go elsewhere for services. “Long-term care has evolved over the last 60 years and CRMC needs to evolve with it. Creating Heartwood Phase II allows CRMC to fulfill its mission of accommodating residents with care and compassion.”

CRMC’s current Care Center was built in 1962 and cannot be expanded at its current site because of congestion, required repairs, and structural issues. In addition, the current Care Center’s design is outdated and does not support resident independence and privacy. Many of the resident rooms and showers are shared, there are narrow bathroom doorways, long hallways, lack of common areas, storages, and offices.

Designed by BKV Architecture of Minneapolis, the new nursing home will have more of a neighborhood feel where residents have privacy and dignity, yet short distances to meet and connect with other residents. There will be lounge areas, a therapy room, central dining room, touch down nursing stations, outdoor living spaces and views, and mainly private rooms. The wing will also have a centralized nursing station for better staff efficiency and training space for staff. There will be 54 licensed beds; 48 of which are private rooms and three double rooms. The Care Center’s current average daily census is 40 residents.

The nursing home is being built on land owned by Crosby Senior Services, a partnership between CRMC and Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS). When CRMC and PHS built Heartwood Senior Living Community in 2007, both organizations shared a vision to build a one-of-a-kind senior community where seniors could live with independence and dignity while receiving the comprehensive medical services they need. This project brings the vision to fruition.