Local residents will have an opportunity to voice their opinion at a hearing on a proposed long-term nursing care and rehabilitation facility planning to come to Rochelle.
The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. at Spring Lake Marina, came at the request of Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Living Center in DeKalb in response to plans announced by RFMS, Inc. in August for building a deluxe Liberty Village nursing and rehabilitation center on Rochelle’s northwest edge of town.
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ROCHELLE — Local residents will have an opportunity to voice their opinion at a hearing on a proposed long-term nursing care and rehabilitation facility planning to come to Rochelle.
The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. at Spring Lake Marina, came at the request of Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Living Center in DeKalb in response to plans announced by RFMS, Inc. in August for building a deluxe Liberty Village nursing and rehabilitation center on Rochelle’s northwest edge of town.
As is customary procedure, once an application for a proposed health care facility is completed and submitted, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board publishes a legal notice of review and opportunity for public hearing and written comment.
Illinois Health Facilities and Services project review supervisor Mike Constantino confirmed Pine Acres submitted a request for the hearing before the Aug. 31 deadline.
On Monday, Pine Acres administrator Dalena Kemna-Kahn acknowledged she did indeed ask for the hearing based on her belief there is not currently a need for more nursing bed units in the region.
“I actually found out about this proposal through the article in the Rochelle News-Leader and while I wasn’t alarmed, I am concerned,” Kemna-Kahn stated. “From recent state reports I’ve seen Rochelle isn’t really growing and I don’t believe there is a bed shortage there, so I don’t understand why we need more competition in this market. There isn’t enough qualified help as it is, so where are they going to find the workers for this facility? I don’t want to see all of us end up with half-filled facilities.”
Plans for Liberty Village’s 124-unit skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living facility includes units for traditional nursing residents, as well as rehab units and programs, a wing for residents with memory issues and independent living apartments. The single-story structure would be built north of San Gabriel and south of Lincoln School just off of Flagg Road. It would span nearly 64,000 square feet at a cost of $17.6 million. Developers say when fully operational, the facility would provide jobs for 175 staff members.