St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center – a Lakes Region leader in skilled nursing rehab and long-term care announces its 9,000 square-foot expansion, featuring a new wing with a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gym, seven private rooms and a community education classroom.

An Open House is scheduled for Thursday, June 28, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with tours, light refreshments and an opportunity to meet the staff. An official ribbon-cutting, with The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, will take place at 2 p.m. Please visit www.stfrancisrehabcenter.org/ to register.

For individuals requiring short-term, post-acute, 24-hour skilled nursing care, the new wing will allow for more frequent rehabilitation therapy, added privacy and the use of innovative equipment to facilitate a quick and effective return to life at home. Skilled services include physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy, from St. Francis’ dedicated team of physicians, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, dieticians, social workers and nursing assistants.

The new gym – with breathtaking views of Lake Winnisquam and the White Mountains in the distance – includes advanced therapeutic exercise systems, as well as a fully equipped bathroom and kitchenette and for residents to simulate the many facets of daily living required to function on an independent level. The gym, which long-term care residents will also benefit from, is more than four times the size of St. Francis’ current gym.

The addition of the new wing increases the overall number of private rooms in the facility to 17. While total capacity remains at 51 residents among short-term skilled nursing rehab and long-term care, St. Francis is planning to add to its team of licensed nursing assistants (LNA’s).

The new community classroom will enhance on-site training and education for registered nurses and licensed nursing assistants (LNA’s) throughout the area.

“We’re excited not only for the expansion, but more so for what it means for the community – an environment that provides the best care possible for those transitioning from a hospital stay back home after a challenging illness, surgery or injury,” said Brenda Buttrick, RNC, LNHA, administrator of St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. “The new wing is a symbol of our commitment to our residents in giving them the healing to continue to live their lives to the fullest.”

Since 1948, St. Francis has provided holistic, person-centered care for thousands of individuals across the area. Our mission is creating a comfortable, secure and supportive environment for each resident, addressing the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of themselves and their families.