A Poplar Bluff facility hopes to receive state approval to transition to memory care assisted living units and a separate assisted living senior community, part of a $10 million investment.
Owners of RiverMist Assisted Living are applying for approval of a certificate of need, explained Heather Westenhaver, development assistant with Americare Senior Living. The Sikeston-based Americare operates the Poplar Bluff location.
The request will be presented Jan. 6 to the State of Missouri’s Health Facilities Review Committee in Jefferson City.
It asks for RiverMist’s current facility to forfeit 17 beds, as the current location transitions fully to memory care assisted living.
“This is licensed by the state at a specific level of care. The community will be secured … It will feel just like RiverMist does now, but we put some technology behind the scenes to make sure the residents are secured,” explained Pat Cokingtin, vice president of sales and marketing.
RiverMist has seen the need for this level of care, she continued.
“We’ve had to discharge folks because we were not able to offer that level of care. We just don’t have a secure community for them (now),” Cokingtin said.
A separate assisted living senior community would be constructed nearby, Westenhaver said. Americare would ask for 34 beds at the new assisted living community.
The current RiverMist was constructed in 1986, and consumer needs have changed, Cokingtin said.
Individuals want more space and amenities, she said. The new community will offer different types of units beyond the studio rooms available now, as well as additional fitness and wellness areas.
The application will be submitted Friday, and Americare expects to learn the results at the Jan. 6 meeting.
“Application deadlines are set pretty far ahead so the committee can review it and address any questions,” Westenhaver explained.
The planned changes will represent an estimated $10 million in new construction and renovations, according to the group.
If approved, Americare would hope to begin construction in the spring of 2020 and have the new senior community open by the spring of 2021.
“It’s a different tract of land, but also off of PP Highway,” Westenhaver said. “It’s right down the road.”
RiverMist is located at 2050 Maud St.
Current residents who do not require memory care would move to the new senior community, Westenhaver said.
They will also have the option of evaluating with staff members and family members if the new memory care assisted living would be appropriate, Westenhaver said.
Established in 1981, Americare operates 11 skilled nursing communities and 52 assisted living communities throughout the state.