Hickory Creek Residents Moved To Prairie View
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
It's both a happy ending and a new beginning for residents of Hickory Creek and the financially strapped Prairie View Nursing Home.
Thursday the remaining 19 Hickory Creek residents moved into their own wing of the Prairie Street facility.
In February, Hickory Creek administrator Katherine Pearson received word that Omega Health Care was closing the facility because of structural concerns about the building.
The Omega folks are geared toward investment and own the property. Extendacare ran the business.
When Extendacare dissolved more than a year ago, Atrium Living Centers, Indianapolis, took over management.
Enter Jeff Carroll, Grace Village Retirement Community administrator, who learned of the dilemma while driving down Center Street where poster-waving Hickory Creek staffers and relatives of residents stood for days in the cold.
"I thought about it and prayed about it," Carroll said when he learned about the residents' plight.
Carroll made some telephone calls and offered his help. At the time there was little he could do.
Hickory Creek cares for many residents with Alzheimer's disease. Others are mentally retarded with behavioral and verbal problems. They are often difficult to place in facilities geared toward geriatrics.
When Key Bank began foreclosure proceedings against Prairie View Nursing Home May 9, an opportunity presented itself.
More than $1.7 million remains due on a $2 million promissory note taken out in 1988.
Alan Weldy, a Goshen attorney with the law firm of Yoder, Ainlay, Ulmer and Buckingham, is the court-appointed receiver.
"My responsibilities are to preserve the assets of the business and try to maximize the value of the assets for the company," Weldy said. "In some cases that means liquidation. In this case they have an opportunity to get turned around and be a viable, profitable business. Hopefully, we'll find someone interested in buying it.
"The main focus, though," he said, "is providing good care for the residents."
Carroll was called by a Key Bank officer and asked if he would act as a consultant during this transition.
Carroll jumped at the chance.
With Pearson as the new Prairie View administrator and Carroll as consultant with help from the Grace Village management, Weldy's and Key Bank's hopes should be realized.
"Hickory Creek is in good financial health," Carroll said. "A lot of residents are on Medicaid and the government makes budgets tight. For some it's hard to survive."
Carroll knows survival. He was instrumental in turning around Grace Village's future when he became administrator five years ago.
Thursday's move not only brings together both the Prairie View and Hickory Creek residents, the two staffs will meld, too, except for Prairie View administrator Stephen Jones, who has been released from his responsibilities.
Pearson said the staffs will be maintained at current levels - about 30 employees for Hickory Creek's 19 residents and 40 for Prairie View's 42 geriatric residents.
For now, Key Bank will sign the paychecks, under Weldy's supervision.
"We're all excited about the move," Pearson said. "We'll interweave the employees. It is extremely important to keep the specially trained employees for Hickory Creek residents."
She looks forward to the move for many reasons. The 113-bed Prairie Street facility has more parking space, a center courtyard, a quieter neighborhood.
Most importantly, local families with Hickory Creek resident relations will not have to relocate them.
A few people have already gone to other cities.
"They were positive moves, though, taken in by centers where their families already lived," Pearson said. "We had people driving from Elkhart and Nappanee to visit and now they are much closer to one another."
Many of the remaining residents have family nearby and will, with little disruption, be able to maintain their routines.
Since the closing announcement two months ago, Pearson has been touched by support from the community.
"Two restaurants have provided meals for employees," she said. "So many people have called and said they would help."
"We would like to return Prairie View's reputation for care to the same level as when the Bradburys (Helen Bradbury and her daughter-in-law, N. Charlene Bradbury) ran it," Carroll said.
"We're thinking about renaming it Bradbury Home, unless the family objects."
The James Bradbury Foundation Inc. is second mortgagee on the outstanding promissory note. The foundation could retain its ties to the facility or sell its mortgage when a responsible buyer steps forward.
"Everyone who has looked at the situation believes there is every opportunity for success," Weldy said. "It's a challenging industry. Katherine seems like a really sharp lady. Jeff has a lot of experience and insight. We're all really enthusiastic about turning it around." [[In-content Ad]]
It's both a happy ending and a new beginning for residents of Hickory Creek and the financially strapped Prairie View Nursing Home.
Thursday the remaining 19 Hickory Creek residents moved into their own wing of the Prairie Street facility.
In February, Hickory Creek administrator Katherine Pearson received word that Omega Health Care was closing the facility because of structural concerns about the building.
The Omega folks are geared toward investment and own the property. Extendacare ran the business.
When Extendacare dissolved more than a year ago, Atrium Living Centers, Indianapolis, took over management.
Enter Jeff Carroll, Grace Village Retirement Community administrator, who learned of the dilemma while driving down Center Street where poster-waving Hickory Creek staffers and relatives of residents stood for days in the cold.
"I thought about it and prayed about it," Carroll said when he learned about the residents' plight.
Carroll made some telephone calls and offered his help. At the time there was little he could do.
Hickory Creek cares for many residents with Alzheimer's disease. Others are mentally retarded with behavioral and verbal problems. They are often difficult to place in facilities geared toward geriatrics.
When Key Bank began foreclosure proceedings against Prairie View Nursing Home May 9, an opportunity presented itself.
More than $1.7 million remains due on a $2 million promissory note taken out in 1988.
Alan Weldy, a Goshen attorney with the law firm of Yoder, Ainlay, Ulmer and Buckingham, is the court-appointed receiver.
"My responsibilities are to preserve the assets of the business and try to maximize the value of the assets for the company," Weldy said. "In some cases that means liquidation. In this case they have an opportunity to get turned around and be a viable, profitable business. Hopefully, we'll find someone interested in buying it.
"The main focus, though," he said, "is providing good care for the residents."
Carroll was called by a Key Bank officer and asked if he would act as a consultant during this transition.
Carroll jumped at the chance.
With Pearson as the new Prairie View administrator and Carroll as consultant with help from the Grace Village management, Weldy's and Key Bank's hopes should be realized.
"Hickory Creek is in good financial health," Carroll said. "A lot of residents are on Medicaid and the government makes budgets tight. For some it's hard to survive."
Carroll knows survival. He was instrumental in turning around Grace Village's future when he became administrator five years ago.
Thursday's move not only brings together both the Prairie View and Hickory Creek residents, the two staffs will meld, too, except for Prairie View administrator Stephen Jones, who has been released from his responsibilities.
Pearson said the staffs will be maintained at current levels - about 30 employees for Hickory Creek's 19 residents and 40 for Prairie View's 42 geriatric residents.
For now, Key Bank will sign the paychecks, under Weldy's supervision.
"We're all excited about the move," Pearson said. "We'll interweave the employees. It is extremely important to keep the specially trained employees for Hickory Creek residents."
She looks forward to the move for many reasons. The 113-bed Prairie Street facility has more parking space, a center courtyard, a quieter neighborhood.
Most importantly, local families with Hickory Creek resident relations will not have to relocate them.
A few people have already gone to other cities.
"They were positive moves, though, taken in by centers where their families already lived," Pearson said. "We had people driving from Elkhart and Nappanee to visit and now they are much closer to one another."
Many of the remaining residents have family nearby and will, with little disruption, be able to maintain their routines.
Since the closing announcement two months ago, Pearson has been touched by support from the community.
"Two restaurants have provided meals for employees," she said. "So many people have called and said they would help."
"We would like to return Prairie View's reputation for care to the same level as when the Bradburys (Helen Bradbury and her daughter-in-law, N. Charlene Bradbury) ran it," Carroll said.
"We're thinking about renaming it Bradbury Home, unless the family objects."
The James Bradbury Foundation Inc. is second mortgagee on the outstanding promissory note. The foundation could retain its ties to the facility or sell its mortgage when a responsible buyer steps forward.
"Everyone who has looked at the situation believes there is every opportunity for success," Weldy said. "It's a challenging industry. Katherine seems like a really sharp lady. Jeff has a lot of experience and insight. We're all really enthusiastic about turning it around." [[In-content Ad]]