Bishop Mitchell Rozanski held mass outside of the Mount Carmel Care Center on Saturday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Catholic Diocese of Springfield celebrated the rejuvenation of Mount Carmel Care Center on Saturday with the blessing from the bishop.

 

The Carmelite Sisters purchased the former Providence Care Center in 2013 for about $6 million and has since put nearly a half million into renovations.

 

Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, of the Springfield diocese, held Mass outside of the building on Saturday afternoon and then blessed it.

 

"The facility is a very different facility that it was three years ago," said Administrator David Laplante. 

 

For the first year, Laplante and the organization went through a strategic planning process and determined to modernize the facility and put a greater emphasis on short-term cases.

 

About half of the beds at the facility are for the typical, long-term needs of those who cannot live at home and will likely stay at the nursing home for the rest of their lives. The other portion is for rehabilitation for those who had just been in accidents or had surgeries.

 

"There was short term [before] but we really made the commitment to it," Laplante said.

 

The facility never closed as flooring was redone, new technology, computers and communications systems installed, parking added, and the rehabilitation gym space was completely revamped.

 

Meanwhile, the company focused on trying to hire more skilled nurses and staff. Now half the 69 beds are focused on patients who will stay 30 days or less.

 

Laplante said hospital stays have been getting shorter for a number of years and changes to Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements have continued that trend. That has led to a growth of short-term care facilities, which is why Mount Carmel is putting a greater emphasis on those services.

 

Mount Carmel is the only Catholic nursing home in the area, so the purchase filled a niche. The Carmelite Sisters operate 23 nursing homes in nine states and Ireland and after touring the facility in 2013, couldn't resist buying it. Rozanski's blessing was the final stamp of approval.

 

"It is a validation on the mission of care for elders and folks in the community," Laplante said. "It is a wonderful celebration today. It wouldn't be possible without the commitment from staff and the support of the Carmelite Sisters."

 

Saturday's event included a catered open house. The community was given tours of the building to see the renovations and services available.

 

"The wonderful staff at Mount Carmel Care Center are truly committed to the Carmelite mission and to the community," said Mother M. Mark Louis Randall, superior general of the Carmelite System for the Aged and Infirm, in a statement.  

 

"We are pleased to sponsor the Mount Carmel Care Center and are committed to ensuring that the Berkshire County region will have this truly special faith-based facility for generations to come."