SIDNEY — Fair Haven made a lot of progress in 2019, and the single largest accomplishment was the official opening of the new addition, which was many years in the making.

After a couple closed door tours for families and local stakeholders, the official ribbon cutting for the addition was on Aug. 12 and it was a wonderful time to show the building to the community.

“The idea of the addition was first discussed in 2014 and grew slowly but deliberately into the 30,000 square foot structure it is today. Fair Haven could never have reached this goal without the confidence and vision of Commissioners Julie Ehemann, Tony Bornhorst and Bob Guillozet. Their dedication to Fair Haven is a key factor in securing the loan and getting the project completed,” said Administrator Anita Miller.

Her report continues:

The expertise of Freytag & Associates and Thomas & Marker were also immensely important to designing and building the addition in accordance with code and also the facility’s stated wishes. We are very thankful to have worked with such an incredible group of professionals.

Fair Haven is proud to offer three brand new residential wings with almost entirely private suites (there are four “companion” suites designated for couples who would prefer to be admitted together). These spacious suites are complemented by generous activity and dining spaces, lounges, and even a private meeting room for family and friend gatherings called the Den.

Fair Haven has also sought to incorporate state of the art technology into the new addition. One of the biggest upgrades is the call light system, which boasts walkie-talkie-like communication between the resident and the nurse, but also uses a multi-light display that signals what type of help a resident particularly needs.

These changes have all come with the new addition, but one thing hasn’t changed: our excellent, compassionate care. Our staff truly care about our residents’ health and happiness, and we always strive to go the extra mile for them.

Aside from our new addition, we welcomed a new Director of Nursing Amanda Davidson. She joined up in November and she has already made great strides in her department. The County Home is always ready for bold, fresh ideas, and those will be more and more necessary as our facility adjusts to the rapid changes in the long-term care industry in Ohio. That’s why the addition was necessary, and that why Fair Haven management needs to stay current with rapidly-changing expectations both at the state and federal level.