Innovation in Senior Care in Ellsworth

What do you get when you mix the city manager of a Down East Maine community, looking to increase her city’s senior population, with an innovative healthcare company ready to expand? Then, sprinkle in an empty school with available property. What’s the outcome?

“Magic,” said Ellsworth, Maine’s city manager, Michelle Beal.

The planning of Seaport Village—a newly constructed 63,000 square-foot, two story facility offering 91 beds for nursing care, rehabilitation services and assisted living—started back in 2011.

“It’s been a goal of the city for several years to provide more services to our seniors and reach out to this growing population,” stated Beal. “Through collaboration with First Atlantic and a focused and creative development team, we’ve brought something to Ellsworth that is truly special.”

First Atlantic, who operates 16 nursing homes throughout Maine, was looking to upgrade their position in Ellsworth, a market they’d penetrated two decades earlier by purchasing Collier’s Rehab and Nursing Center. First Atlantic purchased the property bordering the empty elementary school, which the city then refurbished into a beautiful multi-purpose community center. The two buildings give the area a campus-like feel.

“Seaport Village offers the very best in high-quality senior living and senior care—including a high tech therapy pool with underwater treadmill. We’re so excited to be able to offer such advanced care in our rural community. It’s fabulous for our people and adds value to our city,” added Beal.

Rebecca LaBrie, Program Director, OTR/L, with Rehabcare, Seaport Village’s contracted rehab provider, observed,

“The state-of-the-art HydroWorx 1200 Series therapy pool is really the crowning feature of the facility. The whole floor of the pool moves and works as a treadmill, providing a low-impact walking or running environment. It offers a new level of rehab and therapy to the region.”

And the community is thrilled. “During the open house,” explained LaBrie, “everyone wanted to see the pool. ‘Where’s the pool?’ they asked. ‘We want to see how it works!’ My finger about had a blister by the end of the night from pushing the buttons to demonstrate.”

Beal added, “The folks at First Atlantic have made sure this property feels more like a home than a hospital. There are open spaces, socializing areas, individual doorbells and mailboxes. It’s as good on the inside as it is on the outside. This new facility made sense for the city and it was also the right thing to do.”

While providing close to 50 new jobs, Seaport Village will provide a swift boost to the tax base. “As I’ve stated previously,” continued Beal, “seniors are a wonderful demographic to encourage into our community. They bring with them medical jobs, they volunteer, pay their taxes and require very little education expenditure.”

Craig G. Coffin, First Atlantic COO, who oversees all operational and development aspects for the company, affirmed, “Developing this facility with the help of the City of Ellsworth was a gratifying process. We are truly excited about the future of healthcare in Ellsworth and the partnerships we have created. When you work together to provide the best possible care, great things happen.”

About HydroWorx

HydroWorx, based in Middletown, Pennsylvania, offers a wide range of underwater treadmill therapy pools, and peripheral products and services. Every day, more than 23,000 athletes and patients use HydroWorx technology to recover from injuries and health conditions.

For more information, please visit https://www.hydroworx.com

About Seaport Village

Seaport Village, formerly Collier’s Healthcare, offers personalized short-stay Skilled Rehab and complete long-term extended Nursing Care services. For more information, email admincolliers(at)firstatlantic(dot)com.