Senior living community still waiting for license

Delayed opening 'a paperwork issue'

Driving by, the Moses Lake Senior Living Community certainly seems ready for business.

In fact, the only thing that seems to suggest otherwise is the nearly vacant parking lot.

"We are waiting for the final process of licensing," said administrator Stacey Gurley. "It's still in Olympia and we are waiting for sign-off … We will let everyone know once we open."

Community relations coordinator Renee Pryor said that the facility, located at 8425 Aspi Boulevard NE, had its inspection June 16.

"They came and OKed us for everything," she said, noting that the inspection went very well. "They were in and out of here in a day. Normally, we understand that it usually sometimes takes them two to three days for them to do the inspection … There was no problem there, I think it's just a paperwork issue."

Gurley said that the inspection was done by the regional Department of Social and Health Services, and has to go through various departments.

"There are several different levels and we're at that last phase, but still in Olympia," she said.

In order to be open and operational, Gurley said that inspectors are looking at fire safety, kitchen and dietary plans, structure of the building, occupancy, landscape and a number of health and safety issues.

"They want to make sure that everything meets code and is safe before anyone moves in," she said.

"It's just a long process and I think we've caught people on vacation and things like that," Pryor explained. "The supervisors that have had to sign off on things, we've caught them on vacation and so it's delayed us even farther down the road."

Gurley noted that health agencies in Yakima are also being delayed in opening.

"It's basically day by day on news," Gurley said. "Janea Holmquist, our state representative, has been looking into things and seeing if she can assist in any way, and she's been giving us updates, as well as our company. We're ready as soon as they give us the OK to open."

While anxiously waiting to open, Gurley said that the center is looking at other things that need to be done to "pizzazz the building for residents," including the addition of some games that can be added to the outdoor landscape and planning an ice cream social later in the month.

"There's always something to do," Pryor said of the wait. "It just seems like there's always something to take care of, because when we open, there's going to be things that we won't have time to do, so we just started getting things done."

Gurley said that there are also administrative things to be done, such as answering the phone and getting out into the community, conducting home visits with potential and future residents.

Pryor and Gurley said that they've been hearing from a lot of people in Moses Lake and the surrounding area looking to become residents in the building, which has a capacity of 92 residents and is more than halfway reserved.

"We have a few people that have their furniture already in, and they'll be ready to move in as soon as we open," Pryor said.

Gurley said that the hope is to fill the Senior Living Community "right away" after opening. She said employees are on call ready to start work the instant Gurley gets the phone call to open.

The center ceased its weekly luncheons, operating under the impression that it would open right away with licensing.

"We stopped doing them, and kind of wish we hadn't, but we did have to do some training and orientation for the employees," Pryor said.

The center is still offering tours, and different groups and organizations have used the facility for functions and presentations.

The Moses Lake Senior Living Community can be contacted at 762-9115.