New housing facility for seniors opens

The young at heart celebrated in Elk River on Wednesday over the latest housing facilities for elderly residents in the northwest corner of the metro area.

It was for the grand opening of a $5.4 million addition ranging over 28,000 square feet by Guardian Angels of Elk River. The nonprofit organization serves about 1,400 senior citizens annually in seven housing sites in Elk River, Zimmerman and Becker.

Eight out of 10 of its residents receive some type of government support, said Dan Dixon, CEO of Guardian Angels of Elk River. The faith-based nonprofit was founded in 1965 with 60 beds, and today has an annual operating budget of $19 million.

"We are truly serving a population that is in need for affordable housing and affordable services," Dixon said. "We've got a great support system for seniors here."

The newest digs include a 24-bed transitional care unit and an 18-bed building with wings, called neighborhoods, that specialize in serving residents with dementia. The addition will provide a safe environment for seniors with dementia in which to live, stroll about freely and socialize, Dixon said.

As people live longer, there's a big need for such memory-oriented facilities, and there's a waiting list of 40 people, he said. Dixon said current studies suggest that about 40 percent of the population will receive a primary or secondary diagnosis of dementia at some point in old age.

The transitional care unit is designed for the post-hospital care of people who require more rehabilitation before returning home, or to a setting where less intensive care is needed.

Besides the new addition, another 20,000 square feet has been remodeled for a new therapy suite, Dixon said. It includes space for physical, occupational and speech therapy, offices and a bright Town Center, with a gift shop, coffee shop, hair salons, a computer center, and lounges for socializing and entertaining visitors.

And now, another 13 Memory Care units have been opened at Guardian Angels by the Lake, a satellite location with a 60-unit assisted-living building.

"While Elk River is a young community, it has this remarkable story of taking care of its aged," Don Heinzman, a volunteer at the facility, wrote in an e-mail.

The organization has 450 employees at multiple locations in Elk River, including a senior cooperative called Pullman Place, Dixon said. In Zimmerman and in Becker, the organization owns three apartment buildings.

Beyond that, the organization runs home care and hospice agencies in Buffalo, Cambridge and Elk River to assist people who stay in their homes with nursing care and other support.

For more information on the facilities, call 763-241-4438.

Joy Powell • 612-673-7750