In an age where senior living communities are erasing all hints of hospital influence from their environment, Trilogy Health Services has opened its 100th facility within a former hospital. Yet other than occupying a structure that is a local landmark, the new River Terrace Health Campus in Madison, IN, has no design touches that might be considered institutional.
In fact, River Terrace closely follows contemporary guidelines by offering a full continuum of eldercare services with short-term rehabilitation and amenities such as a theater and game room, internet lounges, sitting rooms with fireplaces and chef-prepared meals in upscale dining areas. The four-story building has been completely transformed as the inside was gutted and reconstructed into a residential community for 105 residents — 57 in skilled nursing, 32 in assisted living and 16 in independent living.
“From a physical and visual standpoint, there is nothing like it — it is one of the nicest buildings in the region,” says Peter Massey, vice president of development for Trilogy. “To see it when it was a hospital, then gutted, renovated and finished, the change is remarkable.”
The former King’s Daughters’ Hospital, which Trilogy purchased in January 2013, is a registered historic landmark in Madison, a small close-knit community. City officials were hopeful that they would find an investor who appreciated its heritage and use it for a purpose that benefited the residents, Massy says.
“So many people of the town were born there, so there is a lot of history with the building,” he says. “They now have a facility they can be proud of.”
The short-term rehabilitation and long-term care areas of the campus, located on the first and second floors of River Terrace, also feature Trilogy’s Home Again short-term rehabilitation program, offering physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology. The fourth and top floor of the facility includes independent apartments, including one- and two-bedroom floor plans.
The Assisted Living Residence at River Terrace, located on the third floor, is designed to provide care and services to help residents remain active and engaged in a homelike environment. It features private suites with private baths and kitchenettes.
River Terrace overlooks the Ohio River, which flows through the downtown area a few blocks away. Madison is an arts and crafts center, so the senior living facility has incorporated local artwork into its interior as well as other visual references to the region, says Leslie Farr Knox, Trilogy vice president of communications.
“The first impression is a lodge feel, with lots of stone and wooden beams — it’s amazing,” she says. “There is an old map of Madison in the lobby and the building cornerstone is visible. The color scheme of blues, creams and browns mixed in with the artwork gives it a local feel.”
