DEL NORTE— A large crowd showed up Saturday, June 24 for the River Valley Inn open house and were welcomed by the nursing home staff as they walked through the front doors, each one eager to take a guest and their family on a tour of the facility. After almost two years of construction the facility is now ready to open their doors and welcome the first of several seniors in the very near future. There is already a waiting list for people who wish to live in the facility, which is geared towards helping seniors get back home to their families.
In December 2015, the town board approved the new nursing home, not only helping the senior community throughout the Valley by offering an additional option to senior living and rehabilitation, but also bringing in additional jobs to the Del Norte area. The board approved the conditional use application with C & G Healthcare Management, which has senior and rehabilitation centers throughout southwestern Colorado and New Mexico.
The 37,500-square foot facility was built almost entirely by local contractors which helped boost the economy in and around Del Norte exponentially. Now, the 60-patient facility only needs the final approval from the Colorado Department of Health before they move in their first residents, which according to staff should be in the next few weeks.
The facility is fully equipped with everything a patient will need to either be rehabilitated and sent home or to stay long-term on a case by case basis. The in-house physical therapy room allows for patients to be treated just down the hall from their living quarters and offers all of the state regulations they must pass before being sent back home. The floor in the physical therapy room has all three required terrain a patient must be able to walk on before being released including carpet, hardwood flooring and grass, which is located in a private courtyard just outside the room.
The corridors leading to patient rooms are positioned in a way that allows staff working at the main desk a view of each, in order to be able to respond to situations in a timely manner. One of the things that the facility is most proud of is the common areas that are set up for family of patients to encourage them to visit as often as possible. One of the rooms that is unique just to River Valley is the family dining room where guests can invite their families to have a private function or celebration.
The center will also host an in-house physician that will be on duty throughout the week and patients can also have their personal physicians come to the facility if they choose to do so. In addition to the in-house doctor, the facility is also equipped with state of the art medical equipment designed to help with even the most severe cases. Staff underwent state training to make sure everyone is up to date on the most recent procedures.
River Valley Inn was welcomed by county and city officials who came to show support for the new facility. Food was provided by several organizations and was enjoyed by all.