Assisted living facility in Morris added Memory Care Center in 2019
By Scott Thoma
Pete Warnes had a vision when he had The Legacy, a 30-unit assisted living facility, built four years ago and then added a 10-unit Memory Care Center last summer.
His vision for the facility was where excellence, integrity, professionalism, advocacy and community outreach were all actively pursued. And The Legacy is designed to meet the resident and their family’s individual needs with utmost respect, dignity, sincerity, compassion, friendliness and care.
Warnes, who has been involved in the senior retirement field since 2006, was so sure his facility met all of those standards that his own mother is a resident.
“I’m a little biased, but it’s a very nice place,” said Evelyn Warnes. “The people working here treat everyone so well. I like my apartment a lot. It’s cozy and spacious.”
The Memory Care Center, which opened in August of 2019, was a vital addition to an already important facility.
“There was a need for memory care in the community and the surrounding area,” said Joie Warnes, Pete’s daughter and Administrator of The Legacy. “The staff here have taken on the challenge head-on and they are eager to learn and help all the residents. I feel so blessed to have such a great staff.”
The staff, which includes four Registered Nurses and 24 Assisted Living Attendants, has been trained to deal with those affected by memory loss.
“We try to do a lot of educating here in dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Jodi Hill, RN Nursing Manager at The Legacy. “Last year, we brought in a specialist who trained the staff on the various stages of memory loss. My focus has always been on educating the staff and the families of our residents.”
Paul Rentz’s mother was an assisted living resident at The Legacy for three years before she was moved into the Memory Care facility for one year. She passed away this past September.
“The staff here are such giving and dedicated people for the memory care wing,” he said. “They try to integrate those in memory care with the (assisted living) residents and that was important to me. My mother lived in assisted living for three years and she forged some pretty good friendships. They really have the residents’ and their family’s best interests in mind.”
The studio units all have the same floor plan in the Memory Care Center and include:
• Studio style living area
• Individual heating and air conditioning
• Private Bathroom, toilet and sink
• Closet
The Common Area includes:
• Whirlpool tub
• Walk-in shower
• Dining room
• Living room
• Locked courtyard
The 30 units in the Assisted Living offer five different floor plans that include:
• Two-bedroom apartments, 860 square feet
• One-bedroom apartments, 570 square feet
• Studio efficiency apartments, 380-416 square feet
A basic care package includes three home-cooked meals a day, once-a-week laundry and housekeeping service, monthly vital signs, 24-hour staffing, emergency call system, local transportation for medical appointments, an on-call nurse at all times, ground maintenance, and utilities (except cable and phone).
The Legacy offers an inviting, friendly and caring environment.
The Legacy was designed to encourage and empower its residents and their families to make this their home. The Legacy is a secured building after 8 p.m.
Its amenities focus on what makes a home:
Amenities available at The Legacy include a community dining room, beauty/barber shop, TV movie theater, café, activity center, therapy room with whirlpool, central air conditioning, window air conditioners, Internet access, laundry room, outdoor walkways with flower gardens and more.
No matter how many amenities or activities there are for the residents, it comes down to the care provided for the residents and the their loved ones.
“It’s all about the staff,” said Pete Warnes. “They are the ones who make this a positive place.”
And the residents and their families feel the same way.
“My mother celebrated her 94th birthday on July 7,” Paul Rentz noted. “But because of the COVID, we were unable to have party indoors. So the staff went to great lengths to set up a covered tent outside on the back patio. We had to meet the social distancing, but it was still enjoyable being able to see her.”
The pandemic has put a hold on family visits to senior living facilities across the nation to, but the staff at The Legacy has done its best to create a bond with the residents.
“It’s so cool to see the connections the staff and residents have made, especially during COVID,” said Joie Warnes. “The staff have really made it a point to get to know the residents.”
“We always have the health of the residents in mind in everything we do, especially during this (pandemic) time,” Hill said. “We screen the residents seven days a week. We always wear goggles and masks. Our staff have become close to these residents and we feel like big family here.”
The Legacy is registered as “Housing with Services” and licensed as a Comprehensive Home Care Provider through the Minnesota Department of Health. In addition to private pay, The Legacy accepts Long Term Care Insurance, Elderly Waiver, MSHO, CADI, and is approved for GRH.
The Legacy is located at 622 East 7th Street in Morris. For more information or to make an appointment, call 320-208-3070 or visit the website at www.legacyassistedmn.com.
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