By Lori EhdeAbout 400 people attended Sunday’s open house at Luverne’s assisted living apartments where about 30 residents will move in during the coming months.Poplar Creek Estates are built adjacent to the existing Oaks apartments across from the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Home on the southwest side of Luverne.Mary Jane Brown Administrator Tony Linn said he was pleased with Sunday’s show of support."People who saw it are very happy with what they saw," Linn said. Eunice Claussen is one resident eager to move in. "It’s very nice," she said after seeing the apartments during the open house. "It’s almost to the point of being elegant."Claussen moved from her home in Hardwick to the nursing home nine months ago, but Poplar Creek will be more suited to her needs."I’ve made good friends here," she said, "but I look forward to having my own home and I’m anxious to have some of my things from home here."Linn said the open house was a nice way to showcase the apartments for future residents and for the public."The Furniture House did a really good job furnishing a couple apartments," he said. "They also put some accessories out in the commons areas, so they were helpful that way."Design Craft, Luverne, is the general contractor for the project, which started June 2003. "They’ve done a wonderful job," Linn said. "We’ve tried to use local contractors where possible for the project."Since plans for the $3.2 million project first started nearly five years ago, Good Samaritan Communities has raised $130,000 in local donations.A Sioux Falls Argus Leader story mistakenly reported earlier this week that local donations came to $3.2 million, and Linn requested that information be corrected.Also, over the past five years, the list of residents interested in occupying Poplar Creek Estates has also been growing.So far, that list includes more than 50 interested tenants (10 committed) for a complex that will offer 24 apartments — 20 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units.In the list of options for senior housing, Poplar Creek Estates will provide an arrangement that’s between The Oaks and the nursing home in terms of health and home services.For example, assisted living residents of Poplar Creek will have three meals a day, light housekeeping and laundry services provided, as well as a registered nurse to assist with medication and other light medical needs.The apartments are all on one level for handicap accessibility, with spacious bathrooms and living areas. Kitchen space, however, amounts to a microwave and dorm fridge, because residents meet in a common dining area for meals.Poplar Creek Estates are connected to The Oaks through a walkway attached to the Oaks north-side patio.The two buildings will not be joined as one, but tenants will be able to share spaces like the exercise and therapy room.To live in Poplar Creek Estates, residents must be independent enough to navigate in and out of the facility on their own — a requirement in case of fire emergencies.The typical Poplar Creek resident will rely on Rock County’s Heartland Express busing system or other transportation, so no garages are included in the plan.The building will be staffed with trained home-health aides 24 hours a day, and a registered nurse will be on site 10 to 20 hours a week and on call 24 hours a day.Rental rates vary, based on the level of services needed. The more health and housekeeping services a resident needs, the higher the rate he or she will pay.Good Samaritan Communities of Luverne has agreed to work with Rock County Family Services to utilize elderly waivers in order to make the units more affordable to a wider range of people.The name, "Poplar Creek Estates," came from the little creek that runs through the southwest part of town.Anyone interested in being placed on the list for residency can call Rhona Snyder at 283-1996 or Nancy Kaczrowski at 283-2375.
