Fieldstone is a ‘dream come true’ for DeWitt

DEWITT, Iowa – A new care facility will be another “jewel in the crown” for this community and help take patient care to a new level. Those were some of the views shared on Tuesday, Oct. 11, as supporters welcomed the Fieldstone of DeWitt care facility to the Clinton County community. The facility, located at […]

DEWITT, Iowa – A new care facility will be another “jewel in the crown” for this community and help take patient care to a new level. Those were some of the views shared on Tuesday, Oct. 11, as supporters welcomed the Fieldstone of DeWitt care facility to the Clinton County community. The facility, located at 1301 Maynard Way, is a WellSpire community – which is a partnership between Wesleylife and the Genesis Health System. It has been open since this summer. The grand opening brought in several hundred people for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours and welcoming speeches for the $27 million project. The new residential community is for people 55 and older and offers assisted living, memory care, short-term rehabilitation and long-term nursing care. Fieldstone is already attracting many patients because there is a need for its services, and it offers the modern, high-level features the community is looking for, said Glen Roebuck, executive director of Home, Outpatient and Senior Services at Genesis Health System. Some of those features include: a wellness center, salon and spa, walking paths, community space, flexible dining options and private suites for patients. “You can come here and have supper with your mom. … You can find a place to plug in your iPad and talk to your grandchildren,” he added.

At Tuesday’s ceremony, Al and Myrna Tubbs – community leaders who helped plan and fundraise for the Fieldstone for many years – also spoke about some of the new facility’s features. “Fieldstone is just another huge shot in the arm for the community,” Mr. Tubbs said, adding … “This has moved from a dream to a reality.”  Ms. Tubbs also thanked the many people who contributed to the Fieldstone project. Funding came from many private donors in the community including $1 million from the DeWitt Community Hospital Foundation and $19.3 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program. Theresa Greenfield, state director of the USDA Rural Development program, also was among the speakers at the ceremony. “It’s been great to partner with leadership at WellSpire to build this asset for the community. They are committed to serving the healthcare needs of rural Iowans,” she said in a news release. Other speakers commented on the new facilities and programs offered by Fieldstone. For instance, Greg Gannon, chairman of the DeWitt Chamber and Development Company, called the new facility “another jewel in the crown” for DeWitt. And Chelsey Killean, executive director of Fieldstone, said the facility will be a positive force in transforming the aging experience for people in the community. Here are some of Fieldstone’s features:

• The facility currently serves about 90 residents.
• About 125 people work at Fieldstone.
• The 95,000-square-foot facility spans a 14-acre campus, according to its website.
• The facility is the first in Clinton County to offer programming inspired by Blue Zones, areas of the world in which people live longer than average. It replaces a traditional “nursing home” model of care with a model that focuses on person-directed living.
• Fieldstone replaces Westwing Place, which served Clinton County residents for decades with short-term rehabilitation and long-term nursing care.

“This is a dream come true. … There are very few facilities like this in the country,” said Mr. Roebuck.