VA Lebanon Healthcare System breaks ground for new Community Living Center

VA Lebanon Healthcare System has commenced with a multi-phase construction project for new community living centers at its main campus.

The five-phase project was officially started earlier this month during a groundbreaking ceremony at the medical center.

The new construction will have four home models, with 14 private bedrooms, each with private bathrooms, a central gathering space with a fireplace, and a centralized kitchen which will promote a more home-like feel and resident involvement, according to a release from VA Lebanon HCS. Construction is expected to be done in 2032. The project has been in the works since at least 2019, when it was included in the VA’s ten-year master plan.

Read More: Lebanon VA releases master plan that will guide growth over next decade

Community living centers, or CLCs, are more commonly called skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes. The new construction will replace CLC units that are currently located inside the medical center.

The homes will be approximately 18,500 square feet and each unit will have a separated ventilation system for improved resident safety in the event of any type of illness outbreaks, the release said.

“Our extended care Veterans are very excited about this new construction,” Ashlee Fortney, associate chief of nursing services for geriatrics and extended care, said in the release. “They look forward to being in this new space, which is really their home. Not only will they continue to enjoy the great care they’ve come to expect from VA, but they also will be able to able to enjoy a much more pleasant, home-like atmosphere. We’re excited just seeing how excited they are.”

VA Lebanon HCS is one of 170 medical centers in the United States with the sole purpose of providing medical care to America’s Veterans. VA Lebanon HCS serves a nine-county area in south-central Pennsylvania, covering Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill, and York counties, along with community clinics located in Mechanicsburg, Pottsville, Willow Street, Wyomissing and York.

Veterans can check their eligibility to receive care and benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by calling 717-228-6000.

For more information about the VA Lebanon HCS, visit their website or Facebook page.