Regional plans center for elderly

Washington Regional Medical System officials traveled the country to visit assisted-living centers before settling on plans for their own. On Dec. 17, the system announced plans for a $4 million, 36,700-SF facility to be constructed on a four-acre site on the east side of North Hills Medical Park in Fayetteville.

American Senior Development Corp. of Memphis, which specializes in assisted-living centers, is the developer, while Oakbridge Builders of Springdale is the general contractor.

The 55-apartment center is designed for people who need moderate assistance for daily living but don’t require nursing home care. Mike McLean, vice president of patient care for Regional, says he expects the center to be full when it opens in September 1999. The hospital owns additional property in the area, including another four-acre tract to the east, for possible expansion, he says.

McLean says the design chosen by Regional provides ample amounts of community space to encourage social activities among residents. Among the amenities are a fireplace, a dining facility with on-site chef and a soda fountain.

Although the center will be operated as a non-profit facility, McLean acknowledged the need for it to be self-supporting. However, as a not-for-profit center, it should be able to operate on smaller margins than required by for-profit facilities, he says.