Williamstown Commons held an open house on Thursday night to celebrate its renovations.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Wiliamstown Commons celebrated its renovated facility and recent awards at an open house last week.
The skilled nursing and rehabilitation has undergone about a $1.7 million upgrade with redone patient rooms, bathrooms, hallways and nursing stations, new flooring and windows, and updated activity, dining and rehabilitation rooms.
"The scope and impact of this project is significant and reflects several years of arduous planning, coordination, lots of patience, and execution," William C. Jones, president of Berkshire Healthcare Systems, said. "As completed. Berkshire has invested nearly $2 million in including access, functionality and infrastructure while providing amenities in an environment that will improve the customer experience and quality of life of our patients and residents."
Jones noted the nursing facility's recent top 10 percent national ranking in patient satisfaction and its silver national award from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living.
"These awards are a testament to the outstanding staff who work here at Williamstown every day and who make a difference in the lives of the people they serve," he told the group gathered in the new rehab room on Thursday evening.
Berkshire Healthcare Systems, a subsidiary of Berkshire Health Systems, acquired Williamstown Commons in 1999. It now operates 14 facilities statewide ranging from North Adams Commons to PineHill Assisted Living at Kimball Farms in Lenox to Hospice of Franklin County. Williamstown Commons offers long- and short-term care, rehabilitation services, hospice and respite care.
"It's a comfort that a quality facility like this is literally here in our back yard," said Selectmen Chairwoman Jane Patton.
One of the patients was there to testify to the quality of care she received.
State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, D-North Adams, was seriously injured a few months ago when she fell through a hole cut through the floor of her family's mill shortly before its sale. She had been laid up for awhile but on Thursday said she was feeling better and anticipated returning to the House when it come back from its summer break.
"When I came here, I was in a bad way. I don't want to sugar coat that," Cariddi said, sporting a neck collar. "I was in a bad way and I needed to be here.
"Even though I left here in a walker, I left here going faster."
Cariddi spent more than a week undergoing physical therapy at the Commons, which she felt had "especially designed" a program to fit her needs.
"The patients who come here are very lucky to be coming into a facility like this," she said, adding that her visitors had been impressed at the interior changes.
"It's not just the way the place looks, it's the people," the representative said, adding she was glad to "be able to make a very public thank you to everybody who helped me out ...
"And I hope I don't have to come back anytime soon," she added to laughter.
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Williamstown Commons held an open house on Thursday night to celebrate its renovations.
