By Jerry W. Kram

MHA Times Reporter

         Tuesday marked the Grand Opening of Heritage Place in Parshall, the first tribally owned assisted living home on Fort Berthold.

         Noth East Segment (Parshall) Council Representative Mervin Packineau and MHA Tribal Chairman Mark Fox were on hand to cut the ribbon officially opening the facility for residents to move in. Earlier this year, Heritage Place held an open house to encourage potential residents and families to apply for places at the 20-bed facility.

            “It’s very important to have a facility like this,” Packineau said. “You go places with nursing homes and the residents say, I wish I could go home and be close to my family. That’s the thought behind this, to bring people home where they can be with their families and live like they want to be living instead of being locked up somewhere.”

            Heritage Place is located in the Wild Horse Addition in Parshall. Packineau said Parshall Lucky Mound Segment purchased the addition about 15 years ago. Starting with the Parshall Boys and Girls Club, the tribe and segment have been building needed facilities for the community, including the multipurpose Red Bear Hall, a sober lodge, a maintenance building, and apartments.

            “Right across from the Red Bear Hall we are working on putting up a brand-new clinic,” Packineau said. “So, there are a lot of things going on out here in the Wild Horse Addition. I am very pleased to have the Heritage Place home out here.”

            Packineau credited Chairman Fox for pushing funding for Heritage Place through the Tribal Business Council along with funding for similar projects in the other five segment of Fort Berthold. Fox noted that the next facility to come online will be in Twin Buttes.

            Heritage Place is an assisted living facility which is aimed at individuals who can function independently with some help. Director of Nursing Sarah Bell said the staff will help residents with cleaning and laundry, meals and snacks, managing medications, transportation to appointments, activities, and limited medical care.

            “Today is exciting but it will be more exciting when people get moved in,” Bell said. “We will provide all that for those who need it. Some won’t need as much help and can come and go as they please. Some don’t really need much and some need a little more help.”

            Bell said potential residents and their families can pick up a pre-admission assessment form at Heritage Place or online at heritageplaceplm.com. Or they can have the staff do a full assessment to see if they would be a good match for assisted living.

            “They can fill out the pre-admission assessment at home or have me do a longer assessment,” Bell said. “It gives me an idea if they are appropriate for assisted living. As long as you don’t need 24-hour nursing care, assisted living might be appropriate for you.”

            Each of the 20 rooms have a great room with a couch, desk and bed, a kitchenette with a sink, mini fridge and microwave, large storage room/closet and bathroom. The building also houses a commercial grade kitchen, nursing station, activity room, and social areas for residents and their families to gather.

            “We have visiting hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but if people want to come other times, they can just let us know,” Bell said. “We are pretty flexible. Residents can come and go as they please. Having family close by will be great for the residents because I think the next closest assisted living facility is either in Stanley or Minot. It will be much easier for people to just pop in and see someone each day.”