Published: June 29, 2008 10:56 pm            

Howard Haven renovation will create more rooms

For almost five years, Lucille Clifton has been a resident of Howard Haven, but sometime next month, she is looking forward to making a move.

Clifton isn’t changing her address but will be relocating to a newly expanded and remodeled residential area in Howard County’s home on the second floor of the facility.

Since work began on converting a former apartment once used by former assistant directors to two residences rooms, Clifton made the trip up the stairwell four or five times per day.

“She had been coming up several times a day ever since we started the work,” interim director Jennifer Vary said. “I asked her on Tuesday if she would like to live upstairs. Her answer was she would love to.”

While volunteers were working Wednesday to continue to clean and prepare to redecorate the living space, Clifton kept a close eye on the activity.

“I think I will like living upstairs,” she said. “It’s more like a regular apartment.”

Clifton will be sharing the two-bedroom area with its own kitchen and living room probably with a new resident to Howard Haven.

“We’ll probably get along,” she said. “There won’t be any problems.”

Vary said the family of the prospective new resident was pleased their loved one would be upstairs in a more apartment-like setting.

Clifton has already decided she wants her room painted in lavender.

Vary said the staff had to be practical about who would be living upstairs because of the need to climb up and down the stairs several times per day.

She said the upstairs residents will have to come downstairs for meals and the refrigerator in the kitchen will be to store cold drinks and snacks.

Vary said all the residents of Howard Haven will be allowed to use the upstairs living room, which will include a television.

The plan is to install new carpet throughout the upstairs and repaint the walls. Vary said the goal is to have the area completely remodeled by the end of July.

“This gives us the ability to house more residents,” Vary said of the decision to remodel the apartment into two residence rooms. “It will be more of an apartment-like setting for the residents.”

The work is being done by Howard Haven employees and volunteers and is being paid for through a special fund maintained by the Howard County Auditor’s Office. Vary said there is approximately $4,000 in the fund.

“The Friends of Howard Haven and the whole community has helped make this a nice place to live,” she said. “It has a non-institutionalized feel to it.”

Friends of Howard Haven are planning an open house in July for the community to tour the facilities.

“The community has been supportive,” Vary said.

Vary was named interim director by the Howard County commissioners when Kelly Spidell resigned unexpectedly in May after less than a year as director. Vary had been the assistant director and has worked at Howard Haven for three years.

Vary has no interest in becoming the director on a full-time basis with three young children, including a newborn daughter at home.

“I enjoy coming in here everyday,” she said. “I’m looking forward to starting some new projects. This is something I love doing.”

Howard Haven is seeking donations of furniture for the two new residence rooms.

Ken de la Bastide can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com

        

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