West Peoria will soon experience what some county officials are calling a college move-in day for senior citizens. More than 170 residents from Bel-Wood Nursing Home will be transferred to the newly-built Heddington Oaks facility September 25th.
The re-location is expected to happen all in one day with residents being transported by their families, buses and ambulances. Matt Nieukirk is the current administrator at Bel-Wood Nursing Home. He says staff has been in contact with families to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.
"The day of the move is not the packing day. We've asked them to come in two or three days before the actual day of the move, pack all of their belongings up, actually come over here (at Heddington Oaks), put them in their rooms so as the resident comes over here, all of their personal belongings are here, and it's already home-like as they walk through the door. We feel like that's going to be as comforting to them as possible knowing this is going to be a very stressful day for them."
Nieukirk says more than 100 volunteers are also available to help residents without families move into Heddington. The Peoria County Sheriff’s office is also expected to provide traffic control for the transfer process.
Heddington Oaks has been mostly complete since April, but couldn’t open until the state approved the County’s evacuation plan for the site. That approval came this week.