Elmwood to expand assisted living in Fremont

New assisted living options will soon be available in Fremont. According to a press release, the Fremont campus of Elmwood Senior Living is in the process of converting its 30-bed skilled nursing facility into assisted living suites to better meet the community's needs. "Recent requests for additional assisted living services has now grown in the Fremont area," the release states, which prompted the transition. "This modification will allow Elmwood to assist even more families requiring 24-hour nursing care and support, medication administration and other senior services," it states. Kathy Hunt, CEO of Elmwood Communities, said the facility "is a state-of-the-art building boasting all private suites with full private bathrooms." Couples can be accommodated in larger suites at the facility, she said. According to the press release, Elmwood is working in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Health to convert the license for the 30-bed skilled nursing facility to a 30-suite assisted living facility. The transition from skilled nursing to assisted living is simply a matter of approval and paperwork by the Ohio Department of Health, Hunt said. Hunt said the transition will be complete by April 28 at the latest and assured that residents of the current skilled nursing area will be able to complete "their approved length of stay." "The other residents who are long-term stays in that section will be able to remain in their current rooms if their needs can be met under an assisted living level of care," she said. Since Elmwood staffs its assisted living facilities with licensed nurses 24 hours a day, she said, those needs generally can be met. In response to the reduction in skilled nursing beds, Hunt said, "Our county is considered over-bedded for skilled nursing services so they (patients needing skilled nursing) would go to other area facilities such as Vally View or Bethesda and then could be discharged to our Assisted Living." Requests for Elmwood's assisted living suites are being accepted, according to the release, and inquires can be directed to Diana Ruffing at 419-332-6533, ext. 1400.