New senior hospital at the Catholic Care Center blessed

Fr. Christopher Martin uses an aspergillum to bless the main entrance of the St. Veronica Senior Behavioral Health Hospital Thursday, June 29. He blessed all the rooms after introductions, thank-yous, and prayers. (Advance photo)

Fr. Christopher Martin blessed the St. Veronica Senior Behavioral Health Hospital at the Catholic Care Center Thursday evening, June 29.

Fr. Martin is the center’s chaplain.

The hospital serves seniors suffering from mental, emotional, and cognitive health issues. It is part of a $13 million project scheduled to be finished in January with the complete renovation of a short-term skilled nursing facility. Both projects were launched on June 10 during a special event at the center, located west of the Spiritual Life Center.

Jennifer Sanders, the center’s director of marketing, said the staff is enthusiastic about the hospital because of who it will serve. A senior who has Alzheimer’s, dementia, or a mental health issue, she said, would get acute in-patient care to be able to make a transition home, to memory care, to assisted living, or long-term care.

“This is going to be a whole new adventure which we’re very excited about,” she said. “The great thing about this hospital is we already have identified a need because having two memory cares on our campus here at Catholic Care, over the years we’ve had a need for this level of service for our own residents.”

Although the Senior Behavioral Health Hospital will serve the greater community, she said, the new hospital will allow the center to better accommodate its residents’ needs because they will be in a familiar environment.

The Catholic Care Center is the only memory care center certified by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America as a program of excellence in dementia care.

An open house was held after the blessing.