Groundbreaking for Nursing-Home Expansion Set for July 23

By Tim Mitchell, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Jul. 2–GIFFORD Officials at Country Health Nursing home in Gifford expect to break ground on a $7 million project to renovate and expand the facility during a ceremony at 6 p.m. July 23.

While the nonprofit Country Health Nursing Home is licensed for 89 residents, Administrator Carol Ruthenberg said Monday that the facility has been limiting the population to 70 residents because of lack of space.

The project will include a 20,000-square-foot addition on the east side with new patient rooms, relocated nurse stations, a laundry and a dining room.

“Instead of three to four residents per room, they will have one or two residents per room,” Ruthenberg said.

Officials also plan a new front parking lot and entrance and an expanded therapy facility on the southeast side. In addition, Country Health will offer larger rooms.

“One of our priorities is to give our residents a quality experience,” Ruthenberg said. “The newly improved facility will greatly benefit the residents who currently reside at Country Health.” Ruthenberg said the original facility was built in the late 1960s.

The architectural firm overseeing the project is Chicago-based Worn, Jerabek Architects.

Country Health Nursing Home is governed by a nine-member volunteer board and is managed by Bloomington-based Heritage Enterprises, Inc.

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