The extensive remodel of approximately 45,000 square feet of space at the facility started nearly five months ago and involved gutting a portion of the building, installing new plumbing and replacing drywall, said Brent Dixon, Chesterwood’s CEO.
MORE: New restaurant coming to closed O’Charley’s space in West Chester
That means more studio units, one-bedroom units and memory care units for the facility, Dixon said. Rooms are bigger with more amenities.
“We’ve also added (space for) just those who need basic health needs and assistance with daily living,” Dixon said.
The Dixon Family owns and operates three senior living facilities that comprise the Hillandale Family of Communities — Chesterwood Village in West Chester Twp. and Birchwood Care Center and Doverwood Village in Fairfield Twp.
MORE: 12 new small businesses that opened in Butler County in 2019
Company officials say the new offerings help Hillandale prepare for the influx of Baby Boomers as they age and seek a full continuum of living options from independent living to assisted living, memory care and long-term care.
“Seniors in our market area really enjoy the continuing care retirement community like we have here,” Dixon said. “They can come in as an independent living resident, then if they need more services, they can move to assisted living or memory care or they may have to be move to skilled nursing care for rehab, for a short period of time, then go back to their assisted living.”
Chesterwood Village opened in the late 1990s as a skilled nursing facility, then grew via several expansion projects since then, including assisted living, independent living and skilled nursing options. Its 20-acre campus makes it the largest of the Hillandale Family of Communities.
MORE: New restaurant coming to closed O’Charley’s space in West Chester
Having different options on one campus not only creates “seamless” care and a sense of ease, said Greg Dixon, facility owner, board member and a Dixon Family representative.
“You trust the people you’re dealing with and you can move through the process and not have a strange (person) throughout the whole process,” he said. “It takes that worriness away.”
The expanded assisted living and memory care areas created another about 50 new jobs, Dixon said. It took place in an area once dedicated to nursing and rehabilitation, a sector that moved to a newly constructed building last year.
MORE: The new Jungle Jim’s bourbon bar boasts more than 100 bourbons: What to know
The remodeling effort features brightly lit spaces with wide entrances, sitting areas, large windows and a courtyard.
“We want them to feel like they’re at home,” said Diane Biehl, community admissions director. “We don’t want it to look institutionalized looking.”
New rooms in the assisted living and memory care unit run about $5,500, Biehl said. Rooms in the original assisted living portion of the building run a little more than $5,300.
About the Author
