Handmaker was recently awarded a half-million-dollar grant for updates to both the Rubin and Tynan Assisted Living Neighborhoods to enhance the health, safety, and overall experience of residents living in these neighborhoods.
Handmaker CFO, Travis Wissinger, applied for and received an ARP AHCCCS (Adult HealthCare Cost Containment System) Grant. This is part of a $40 million investment of funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into an award program to strengthen Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) in Arizona.
As part of these renovations, a new call light system and additional security cameras have already been installed in the Rubin and Tynan Assisted Living Neighborhoods, and work will begin soon on updating the fire doors and elevators, along with a new kitchen in the Tynan AL Dining Room, new flooring in both Assisted Living common areas, and a brand-new transportation van.
Residents are particularly excited about the new transportation van, which has a few more bells and whistles, and more space for wheelchairs than their current vans do. It should allow more wheelchair users to be able to attend the regular Handmaker outings such as shopping, dining and Out and About trips.
Just over one year ago, Handmaker completed renovations to the Rich Long Term Care Skilled Nursing Neighborhood. Handmaker CEO, Elie Pollak says, “Handmaker has been taking care of older adults in our community for 60 years. Over the years it has expanded and renovated to meet the growing needs of the community, make necessary improvements, and keep up with the changing styles. We are thrilled to receive these substantial funds to help us continue our mission, and ensure that Handmaker remains a beautiful and special place that the Handmaker family would be proud of.”
Handmaker also recently received additional funding of $150,000 from Homeland Security, which will be used to replace the main and assisted living entrances with enhanced security doors.
These projects are all being overseen by Handmaker’s Maintenance Manager, Dan Ewer, who has been working at Handmaker for close to 40 years.
“All of these renovations should be completed by this summer,” said Wissinger, “but there may be more to come, since we have applied for, and hope to receive additional funding for more renovations later this year.”
