Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Pineview Going Nowhere; New Group Is Taking Over

There is no reason for the people of Gurdon to worry about the Pineview Nursing Home.

While the facility is leaving the community, another has already agreed and is working to step in once the former is gone.

HUGS, a division of the Arkansas United Methodist Church, will be opening a facility to help those needing homes. It exists to respond to the needs of particular residents of the five- county area it covers, providing them with quality housing, while working with them to improve the quality of their lives.

Cliff Coleman and Bill Cole were on hand to make this announcement Thursday, May 7.

Coleman said two years ago HUGS had 26 clients and two landlords. Now, there are 150 clients in five counties with 87 landlords.

The tornado of March 1, 1997, he said, put the organization in place where it had to react to the loss of housing in the region. Those involved helped draft legislation for disaster relief specifically for housing.

The United Methodist Housing Mission Board, formed four years ago, has done a lot of work in the Hot Springs area, but is now moving to Gurdon, where it will take over the old Pineview Nursing Home.

The mission builds apartments for low income people, while working with public and private funding to reach its goals.

Coleman said as a result of talking with Eddie Arnold, owner of Pineview, who is building a nursing home in Arkadelphia with plans on moving the current patients there, a deal was reached and is expected to close June 5 with HUGS buying the facility.

Coleman said the name will not change.

Carolyn Skaggs, who will be the director of the facility, has visited the home on three different occasions.

She said the people of Gurdon have been supportive and HUGS would like the people to continue with their assistance.

"We want to help," she said. "We will run the program, handle staffing, but want it to be a community effort."

The "new" Pineview will be a residential care facility for special needs people not acute care patients. It will also be for adults only, as well as for the elderly.

She said it will be up to the families of those currently in residence at Pineview whether they stay or not.

The difference in what Pineview is and what it will be, she said, is a residential care facility works with those who can care for themselves, while many in nursing homes can't do this.

Residential care patients, she said, need not be ambulatory. The facility will work with those suffering from physical, mental and emotional problems, but none with acute medical conditions.

"The people there will be more functional," she said, "and we target their emotional needs. We hope to meet the needs of those in Gurdon with problems."

However, she said, as word gets out about the facility, patients from other areas could be brought in to the center. In addition, some patients will be received by direct referral from doctors. But, those in Gurdon will come first.

The clients will receive a good diet with an exercise program.

Jacque Reese is new to the staff. She said Pineview currently has an outstanding volunteer program she would like to see continue.

Reese is currently the dean of students for the Arkansas School for Math and Science. However, she wanted to do something difference, hence the career change.

"I have two teenagers and want to spend more time with them," she said. "We're excited to be here."

Coleman said it will be up to the current employees whether they stay or not, but the offer has been made for them to remain. The same goes for the residents of Pineview.

At this time, he said, there are 27 positions of employment. More, though, may be created in the future as need arises.