Castle Peak facility eyes October opening

EAGLE — A little more than a year ago Castle Peak Senior Living and Rehabilitation broke ground on its new 64-bed facility in Eagle and told locals the center would be open in 12 to 18 months. It looks like Augustana Care, the developer and operator of the facility, will make good on that promise.

“When someone says 12 to 18 months, you usually expect it to take 20,” said Matt Scherr, marketing coordinator for Castle Peak Senior Life and Rehabilitation. But Augustana was confident enough in its ability to deliver that it chiseled the year 2016 in stone at the Capitol Street building entrance. Scherr said the first residents should be moving into the assisted living wing by late September. A grand opening will be celebrated in October.

Augustana Care is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that owns and manages 23 senior care projects. The company partnered with Eagle County to build Castle Peak Senior Living and Rehabilitation, a new name for the facility, which may or may not be its final moniker. The facility’s 5-acre site is located immediately north of Brush Creek Elementary School in the Eagle Ranch neighborhood. The 62,000-square-foot building will include 22 skilled nursing beds, 20 assisted living apartments, 12 memory care beds and 10 transitional care units.

Scherr said the assisted living units will be the first occupied beds at the facility because people can either plan to move in themselves or their adult children can plan for residency.

“You don’t usually know six months in advance that you will be looking for skilled nursing,” Scherr said.

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Additionally, state requirements mean that the center will open the assisted living wing as it works through licensing and certification regulations.

Scherr said he fields three to six calls per week from people who are inquiring about the assisted living options at Castle Peak. Of that number, he said roughly two-thirds of the inquiries are from local-area residents, while the remaining calls are from adult children who are looking to relocate their elderly parents.

Sticker Shock

Scherr noted that assisted living costs are not inexpensive and some callers have been taken aback regarding the costs at Castle Peak.

“There is sticker shock from people who aren’t familiar with the product, and assisted living is an expensive product,” he said. “But our cost structure is reasonable, particularly considering the quality it offers.”

Assisted living prices at Castle Peak Senior Life and Rehabilitation reflect monthly costs for a single resident and include three meals a day served in the dining room, snacks, all activities, scheduled transportation and other amenities:

• Second floor, studio (402 square feet) — $5,000.

• Third floor studio — $5,050.

• Second floor one-bedroom (500 square feet) — $5,400.

• Third floor one-bedroom — $5,450

• Second floor two-bedroom (833 square feet) — $6,140

• Third floor two-bedroom — $6,190

In addition to the base prices, Castle Peak Senior Life and Rehabilitation will offer optional care levels of service for daily or occasional assistance with things such as medication management, bathing, dressing, escorts and other needs. The cost range for those services is $850 to $2,050 per month, depending on what services are needed. Because they are charged monthly, Scherr said such services can be added or removed as needed. There are other specialized services available for those with more specific needs, such as diabetic monitoring or oxygen service.

There is a $3,000 community fee for assisted living that is collected once at lease signing to cover administration, moving and other incidental costs associated with both moving in and out of Castle Peak.

Scherr also noted that assisted living services are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. However, when someone is looking at moving to Castle Peak Senior Life and Rehabilitation, Scherr noted he or she should take a hard look at current monthly expenses. When a potential resident comprehensively considers monthly expenses — mortgage, homeowners insurance, utilities, upkeep, food and activities — Scherr said the assisted living costs are put in perspective.

“It can be pretty close to what someone is already spending,” he said.

Skilled nursing costs will be more expensive — charged at a daily rate of $345 to $365, depending on the room and whether traditional nursing or memory care is needed. Castle Peak will take a $500, fully refundable deposit for skilled nursing care. If a lease is ultimately signed, then the $500 is applied to the community fee.

Close to home

As he interviews prospective residents, Scherr said location of the facility is its top attribute.

“People are excited to be able to stay here and not leave their community,” Scherr said. “It’s also important for the community to not lose its senior population.”

As opening day nears, Dan Shields has been named campus administrator and Nate Mellon has been named director of nursing. Lane Martin is the human resources director and Castle Peak anticipates hiring 65 employees to fully operate the facility.