The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.


Henderson County Retirement Center Outstanding News

Stronghurst:There is great news from the state to share. Henderson County Retirement Center Inc. has received notification that its new assisted living facility, OAK WOOD ESTATES RETIREMENT VILLAGE located just east of OAKLANE Nursing & Rehab., will be licensed as a Supportive Living Facility.

That's a plus for Henderson County and for its residents.

This means that Illinois Medicaid program will pay for a portion or for all of the medical care for eligible residents.

The Supportive Living program is an alternative to nursing home care for low income senior citizens and people with physical disabilities.

The expansion of the Oak Wood Estates Retirement Village will help to fill the gap between independent living and the need for nursing home care. Many seniors choose this option for the socialization and support they find from the other residents.

The assisted and supported living option offered by Oak Wood Estates offers assistance to all seniors who need limited help with some activities of daily living.

These would include, but not be limited to; dressing, bathing, medication reminders, and transportation which allows for a higher quality of life.

The addition of Oak Wood Estates Retirement Village will provide an additional 10 to 15 jobs to HCRC's job total, which means their employee total is very close to 100 full and part time jobs.

Besides the benefit these facilities' bring to the senior citizens, it should be noted the importance these jobs bring to the economics of Henderson County. Very few county businesses are not touched somehow by one or more of their employees.

The news that Oak Wood Estates Retirement Village had received approval for its Supportive Living license is a prime example of what good can happen when the whole area gives its support to achieving a goal.

Board President Diana Doran, Vice-president Ralph Tatge, Marketing Director Jessie Booton, Oak Wood Estates Administrator Bobbi Tapscott, WDM's Jamie Hull, and OAKLANE Nursing and Rehab. Administrator Richard Clifton have spent many hours and much effort to prepare the 100+ page application and the Power Point presentation.

On July 22 of 2009, this group traveled to Springfield to make their oral presentation before a panel of Public Health officials.

A committee of Public Health officials studied the application and the presentation and made their recommendation to the Governor's committee and in January of this year made the decision to offer a Supportive License to Henderson County Retirement Center, Inc. [dba. Oak Wood Estates Retirement Village].

What was really remarkable about the success of the application was that only 3 areas in the entire state were opened to the pilot program.

Cook County, East St. Louis, and a five county area which included McDonough County and the 4 counties south.

HCRC made application for the license making a case that as an adjoining county we support each other and our citizens use and provide, mutual health and medical services.

Thanks to the support of the Henderson County Health Department, Eagle View Community Health Services, County Board members, school officials, area politicians, community and local business persons Oak Wood Estate Retirement Village was able to gain one of the 18 licenses granted.

This was extremely exciting because of the 18 licenses granted, 15 went to the Cook County area. With only 3 being granted to downstate Illinois, this indeed was an exciting announcement.

The citizens of Henderson County can honestly boast that no county our size has a better or more complex Continuum of Health Care.

It would be appropriate for each of us to take a moment and thank our health care providers for providing a quality health program for all ages within Henderson County.