Though dirt has been on the move for more than a month, it’s official now. Vancrest Health Care Centers broke ground on it’s new residential, rehabilitation and wellness center at 1035 Hager St., behind Joint Township District Memorial Hospital. “I think it’s the future of health care,” Vancrest President Mark White said.

Vancrest has partnered with Grand Lake Health System to create the all-in-one facility. The new building will provide a comfortable place for out-patient recovery just a few yards from JTDMH. The wellness center will feature 14,000 square feet of therapy service and exercise equipment for community members age 50 and over including treadmills and stationary bicycles. Dwenger said the center will have equipment that provides low-impact exercise too.

JTDMH Chief Clinical Officer Deb McKee noted that the openness of the wellness center, combined with a large number of windows, will help motivate the people who use it. The open space will also provide space for larger events and group classes such as yoga and Zumba to be held at the wellness center. “It also has a conference room for our staff and the community,” McKee added. “We’re looking at maybe moving our diabetic classes and support groups in there.

McKee, Dwenger and White all agree that the facility shows the local commitment to providing care for local seniors. White then focused on how the new facility will create a small community within the larger St. Marys community. He highlighted the partnership with the hospital as being a key to the next step in Vancrest’s growth and an incentive for patients to stay local to get joint replacements and outlined the residential portion of the facility. White also outlined the residential portion of the facility and how it will expand opportunities for the aging population. He described how most people want to stay in their homes as they age but sometimes needs can trump wants.