Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Building Communities Program Bristol, Vermont – November 7, 2016 – Living Well Group has received a grant of $20,000 from the State of Vermont’s Building Communities Program. The grant criteria consists of five grant programs established and funded by the Vermont Legislature to help communities preserve important historic buildings and enhance community facilities. The grant requires that the applicant be a non-profit organization, regional economic development organization, or municipality. Selections are made by individual boards through an established selection process and must have matching funds supplied by the nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. The money will help support Living Well Group’s renovations at their Living Well Residence in Bristol.
“We are honored to receive this generous grant from the State of Vermont to assist with our very much needed bathroom renovations,” says Dee DeLuca, executive director of Living Well Group. “When we purchased this facility, the bathroom configurations were grandfathered in to the existing usage for a residential care home. We have made some minor repairs over the years, but this is our opportunity to truly improve the facility for residents, staff, and families.”
Living Well Residence's building in Bristol is a 105-year-old Victorian Farmhouse that is indistinguishable from the other Victorian and vintage homes that dot the street. Shy of a ramp leading to the front door, few passerby would recognize it as a residential care facility. That is intentional. The staff has gone out of its way to create a homey environment for its current 13 residents that supports a family-like atmosphere behind its doors, while being equally inviting to the immediate neighborhood. We believe that being a purposeful part of a larger community is fundamental to a feeling of emotional well-being. That is why many of the programs and activities offered to our elders at Living Well Residence involve regular interaction with neighbors, local youth, and volunteers.
Part of the challenge of renovating and altering an older farmhouse is that most renovations require top-to-bottom repair. The house currently has one full and one half-bath for the 13 staff and 13 residents. This project will create a second fully handicapped-accessible, ADA compliant, half-bath and completely renovate and bring up to code the existing full bath. The current full bath will need to be taken down to the studs and reinforced due to unseen water damage. Any renovation and/or construction must comply with ADA and code requirements, and now that we are undertaking these renovations, we have the opportunity to bring all existing baths up to both ADA and local codes.
Living Well is currently inviting donations to match the remaining $30,000 needed to complete the renovation. To learn more, visit the website: livingwellresidence.org or visit: givegab.com/nonprofits/living-well-residence/campaigns/living-well-residence-bathroom-renovation
About Living Well
Living Well Residence is a non-profit Level III residential care facility with 15 beds based in Bristol, Vermont. For 10 years, the home has served residents in a holistic manner, relying on fresh, local food from area farms, emphasizing the importance of a family-like setting and allowing everyone a voice. Led by a naturopathic medical director, Living Well Group believes in an integrated health approach that treats a person mentally, physically and emotionally, while also valuing diet and exercise. In 2013, Living Well Group purchased Ethan Allen Residence, a 30-bed facility in Burlington, Vermont. The home transitioned from a traditional facility to a holistic one, and staff is currently collecting data on the health benefits of art and music therapy, exercise, diet and community in senior living. To learn more visit livingwellresidence.org
Source: November 7, 2016 – Living Well Group