Winchester Gardens: Renovate, Remodel, Reposition
Healthcare Spotlights
Written by Ashley McGown   
Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Winchester Gardens: Renovate, Remodel, Reposition
The team at this CCRC collected data to identify the needs of its current and future residents and used the information to design a renovation plan that addressed those needs.
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Located in Maplewood, NJ, Winchester Gardens was established in 1927, but the organization has undergone many significant changes since that time. The facility that originally operated as a house for aged gentlemen, bachelors, and widowers is now a CCRC that employs a team of 300 individuals and generates roughly $25 million in annual revenue.

Most recently, the team at Winchester Gardens embarked on a renovation project that included a remodeling and repositioning of its independent and assisted living areas. In 1996, a $76 million construction project converted the organization into a CCRC, but nine years later, it was apparent the facility needed another upgrade.

According to Greg Rogerino, president and CEO, the campus’s assisted living area, Hardin Gardens, was especially worn, and other areas needed to be reprogrammed. “Although they were presentable, our independent living areas were outdated, and because we had performed spot remodels, the areas weren’t well integrated with one another,” he said.

Winchester Gardens: Renovate, Remodel, Reposition
Greg Rogerino, president and CEO
To make sure the project was financially viable, Rogerino and his team outlined key areas that were determined to be most important. Ultimately, the project focused on the kitchen, bathroom, and closet areas, and the team paid special attention to lighting, organizational systems, and cabinet accessories.

In addition, the team designed every renovation with two things in mind: accessibility (for residents) and adaptability (for future remodels). George Prouty, senior vice president at design firm Arthur Schuster, was brought in to help Rogerino and his team develop and execute the project. Rogerino said he knew Schuster would be able to help create a hospitality environment on campus.

To begin, the team established priorities, determining which areas should be renovated first and how significant the changes should be. Results from a survey given to residents at Winchester Gardens were used, along with data collected from the organization’s marketing department, to identify what existing and prospective residents were looking for.

The team then went on to develop renovation plans that created barrier-free environments, addressing all of the previously identified top concerns. The new room models encompass a number of important factors, including safety, mobility, accessibility, and function.

“The units were outdated,” Rogerino said. “The kitchens, for example, were very basic, and they weren’t designed in a way that met the needs of our residents. We added features that were designed specifically to meet those needs. Before, the units’ microwaves were out of reach, and the ovens were too low, so we moved the former down and the latter up, making both easily accessible.”

Survey results also indicated that 50% of residents were least satisfied with the design of the closets in the assisted and independent living areas, 21% reported the most inadequate feature in their bathroom was storage space, and 50% reported the most inadequate feature in their kitchen was either storage space or the cabinets.

After analyzing the data and studying the old room designs, Rogerino and his team realized a significant amount of storage space, which includes cabinets and closets, was difficult for physically challenged residents and elderly individuals to access. This finding was instrumental to the new designs.

Building on its success
Winchester Gardens is accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities/Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CARF/CCAC), the only international accrediting group for CCRCs. The recognition, which is awarded to roughly 350 facilities nationwide, ensures an organization is financially secure and all aspects of its community, including amenities, services, accommodations, and management, are of the best quality.

The renovation will further strengthen the organization’s reputation, but the remodeling projects aren’t the only efforts Rogerino and his team are making to transform Winchester Gardens. A repositioning project was also put into place, and, once again, the team collected and analyzed data specific to its campus to establish priorities.

The skilled nursing facility at Winchester Gardens was built in 1995 and stands two stories tall. Several studies were conducted at the organization over a 12-month period, and the results were used to help the team determine what its long-term goals were and what its present and future needs were.

“We decided to replace a lot of the patient room furniture and install flat screen TVs,” Rogerino said. “Our goal was to make better use of the patients’ space.” Outside the rooms, the team renovated corridors and patient lounges, installing new carpeting, wall covering, and artwork, among other things.

The team held off on introducing paperless charting and a new telephone system but expects to do so in the next three to five years. A wireless call system will be installed and used until then.

Recently, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) recognized Winchester Gardens for its innovative efforts. Last October, Rogerino and Prouty gave a presentation called “Renovation, Remodeling, and Repositioning” at the organization’s annual conference in Philadelphia.

The presentation detailed the entire renovation that took place at Winchester Gardens, why it was necessary, and how it has allowed the organization to meet the changing needs of its existing and potential customer base.

“The presentation encourages people to look at their entire organization before developing a construction plan,” Rogerino said. “A decade ago, a basic kitchen was standard, but today, people want to live in units that are more functional by design. It’s difficult for an aging individual to function and live in an independent living unit that’s not appropriately designed with accessibility and function in mind.”
 
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