RIO GRANDE CITY — Tucked just south of the city’s main traffic artery, a new nursing home is set to open here.
Regency Integrated Health Services is on the verge of opening a new facility in Rio Grande City called Starr County Nursing and Transitional Care.
The facility has two units — an extended care unit with 80 beds and a transitional care unit with 14 beds for patients looking to stay for only a limited period of time as they rehabilitate.
Decorated with photographs of Starr County landmarks, the hallways lead to private and semi-private rooms with their own bathrooms supplied with European-styled showers — minus the tub for patients that may struggle getting in and out of one.
There are also two dining areas, patio areas, an activities room and a gym that caters to patients needing therapy.
The rooms are also positive pressure rooms so the air is pushed out to the common areas, which are equipped with a needlepoint bipolar ionization system that purifies the air by eliminating pathogens.
It purifies the air and saves 30% energy, reducing carbos by 75%, according to the facility’s admissions director.
The home is not a COVID-19 facility but all admissions will go into specialized units for monitoring. If they do present any signs or symptoms of the disease, staff will take “proper steps” at that point to determine what they will do for the patient.
In Rio Grande City, the space is the second facility for the company but they also have locations in Brownsville, Edinburg, Mission, Harlingen and Weslaco.
“Regency has been honored to have a facility in Rio Grande City for many years and this is our 11th facility in the Valley,” stated Brooke Ladner, a Regency spokesperson. “We have a deep and long relationship with the community and saw an opportunity to further meet the needs of the residents.”
The project came together in 24 months, according to the company and they broke ground on it in May 2019. They are expected to admit their first few patients next month.
In June 2019, city officials applauded the arrival of the new facility for the additional healthcare services to the community and because of the creation of jobs.
At full occupancy, it employs 110 to 120 staff members, according to Ladner.
As of Friday, the company still had 10 job opening listed on its website.
