By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — In Spring 2014, Tuscola County Medical Care Community (MCC) officials will break ground on two, new senior housing complexes.
On Thursday, county commissioners approved two resolutions for the MCC to sign paperwork for bonds totally $4.6 million for the $7 million to build two “small house centers.” MCC has about $3 million to put towards the project.
Small house facilities are part of the cultural change happening in skilled nursing centers. The houses look basically like a large home but they have equipment and features necessary to provide round-the-clock skilled nursing care. The life of a resident in a small house center is just about like living at home, but with professional care available 24/7. The houses will still be a “skilled-nursing beds” center not an assisted living or independent-care bed facility.
The houses will be staffed by Certified Nursing Assistants who will receive additional training and education to be “universal employees” in that they will not only care for the residents but will also do all of the normal duties of a household such as cooking, but also laundry and housekeeping
“We really believe in this project,” said MCF Director Margot Roedel. “We expect to break ground in April as soon as the frost laws allow.
“There is a lot of infrastructure work that has to be done first so completion is expected in about a year from the start.”
Each small house will be approximately 9,200-square feet, have 10 private rooms with their own bath as well as a common area, full kitchen, laundry facilities and an outdoor garden.
The homes will be built on part of the former Davenport University’s 16 acres of land on Cleaver Road east of Caro in Almer Charter Township that the MCF purchased in August, 2012. The college facility itself is used as the MCF’s business annex.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.