It was the official start of a new beginning for the Barbourville Health and Rehabilitation Center Monday as Knox County officials, dignitaries, architects, and developers broke ground on a state-of-the-art, $10 million facility in the Barbourville Business and Technology Park.
The new Barbourville Health and Rehabilitation Center (former called Barbourville Nursing Home) will replace the current facility located at 117 Shelby Street — a residential portion of town. It is slated to open in the spring of 2013 and will feature a library, private chapel, ice cream parlor, secure courtyard, nine private rooms, bathing spa, beauty parlor and physician’s lounge.
“We think this will set some new standards in nursing homes,” said Harold Fletcher of Kenar Architecture, one of the principal planners on the project. His comments came during an official groundbreaking ceremony for the facility held on site Monday morning.
Twenty-fifth District State Senator Robert Stivers, whose seven-county district includes Knox County, said the project was a triumph of cooperation between government officials and private industry.
A staff physician with Barbourville Health and Rehabilitation Center, pointed out that construction of the new facility couldn’t come too soon. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the number of Americans age 65 or older jumped over five million in the last decade. The rate of growth for the elderly is 15.1 percent as opposed to 2.1 percent for those 18 and under. The number of Knox Countians who are 65 or older is 14.4 percent.
“Nursing home care is important,” she said. “Sometimes, no matter how much you love somebody and how much you want to be able to take care of them at home, you need some help.”
Following the remarks, ground was officially broken on the facility. Everyone in attendance was treated to a free lunch.
—Reprinted with permission of The News Journal