Major improvements are under way to

add comfort, services to residents there.

RUMFORD – New commercial washers and dryers, new paint and window coverings and cables to electronically link the Rumford Community Home with Rumford Hospital and Swift River Health Care are just a few of the improvements so far this year.

“We are investing a lot of capital in making Rumford Community Home the best it can be,” says administrator Jennifer Rancourt. “Our staff is investing a lot of personal capital in helping each of our residents be the best they can be through new programs and quality standards.”

In April almost $20,000 worth of new washers and dryers were installed at the home, replacing aging ones that were breaking down and required more staff intervention. The new equipment will be gentler on residents’ clothing and other items in the more than 5,000 pounds of laundry done at the home each week.

As the laundry installation was winding down, workmen from Steve Hanscom Electric were running computer cables through the facility. The cabling and the new computers are part of a grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation to ensure access to healthcare for people in northern Oxford County.

When the project is complete, nursing staff and residents’ physicians at the home will be able to access residents medical records, lab results and other vital information by computer. The computerized patient record is a giant step in improving quality of care here in the home and when residents go to the hospital, Rancourt says.

New blinds and curtains brighten the dining rooms at the home, as do cloths custom-made for the tables. Ed Cowan of Dingo Stitching noted that the drops of the tablecloths were designed shorter than normal, so that residents can easily pull a chair or wheelchair under the table without displacing the tablecloth.

Several residents’ rooms have been refurbished and the rest are scheduled for renovations. The west wing hallway has been completely renovated; the south wing has new flooring; and the large south wing dining room is undergoing a facelift, including new furnishings.

Also included in the aggressive capital budget plan for fiscal year 2002-2003 are the air conditioners, automatic beds and new wheelchairs that add to resident comfort, safety and mobility. Chair and bed alarms now allow residents to lie or sit without restraint because the alarms alert staff to come to their aid when they move.

“These new furnishings and equipment will serve our home and residents well for years to come,” noted Rancourt. “They demonstrate commitment to keep our home up-to-date and a source of pride for the community.”