Work Has Begun on Nursing Home Remodel Project

After accepting bids, the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home has awarded the building contract for their remodel project to Clausen and Sons, a Havre-based, full-service general contractor that works on a variety of agricultural, commercial, and industrial buildings and prides itself in most facets of carpentry.

According to Sweet Home Administrator, Jenni Pula, Clausen and Sons have started the process of construction, which will include a new activity room on the south end of the building. This remodel will ultimately allow the Sweet Home to expand its physical therapy (PT) room to about double its current size. Work crews were on hold last week while Northwestern Energy was moving a transformer and gas line.

"Once the transformer and gas line are relocated, we are hoping to get the cement poured. If we can get that done before it gets too cold to do so, the project should proceed nicely over the winter," Pula reported.

Another general contractor, John Pike Construction of Chinook has also been working at the Nursing Home, removing an old garage and its concrete foundation as well as doing the dirt work needed to prepare the site for new cement.

At the end of the month, while Clausen crews work on asbestos abatement issues in the current PT area, PT will be temporarily relocated to the chapel. The activity area will also be displaced at the end of the month due to construction.

"Activities will be provided in the dining room between meals, around the nurse's station as appropriate, and in the Sweet Wing living room area during the remodel process," Pula said. "If all goes well, the project will be mostly complete in January. Some exterior work may still not be quite completed due to the weather, but that's to be expected," she stated.

The expanded physical therapy space will enable the Sweet Home to provide multiple services without the discomfort of over-crowding. In their commitment to care for each of their residents, the medical staff at Sweet Home addresses any of the following areas of development through evaluation and treatment:

• Upper and Lower Body Development (i.e. range of motion, strength, muscle tone)

• Gross Motor Skill Development

• Balance and Coordination

• Breathing Patterns

• Posture

• Physical Fitness

• Adaptive Equipment Needs - to assist with performance of functional skills

• Therapeutic Handling Techniques - to assist with learning proper movement patterns

• Evaluation for Orthotics and Assistive Devices (i.e. walkers and wheelchairs)

"Expanding the physical therapy space will not only benefit our residents but our out-patients that come in for physical therapy, as well," Pula said.