Intermediate care facility being built in West Siloam Springs

WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. — A new care facility is being built on the site of the old Valley Springs Residential Care and Pleasant Springs Memory Care and Assisted Living property on Stateline Road.

EastOk Cottages will be an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities, according to Kimberly Green, Diakonos Group chief operating officer.

Unlike a traditional nursing home, EastOk will cater to individuals 18 and older who have intellectual disabilities only, Green said.

“We’re extremely excited to be in the area and we cannot wait to meet the people and staff who will be our family,” Green said.

EastOk was scheduled to open Aug. 1, but the opening date was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic, Green said. They are presently pushing to be open Nov. 1, Green said.

The main building will house the first two cottages which will be separated by a firewall. The first cottage is complete and ready for use. It will have five double occupancy rooms and six single occupancy rooms.

The facility wants to move three to four people in the first cottage so the state can come in and inspect the facility and see how care is given, Green said. If EastOk passes the inspection, it will be cleared by the state to open, Green said.

EastOk will consist of four cottages that will house 16 each in a family style environment. EastOk will start out with 15-20 employees and as time goes on they will go up to about 50 or 60, Green said.

Each cottage will have a house manager who will teach the clients life skills like how to do laundry, clean and manage finances, Green said. Clients will also have the opportunity to go to work and earn a wage by working in the community or at one of the in-house workshops EastOk will offer, Green said.

Diakonos Group offers a broad scope of services which include skilled and independent living facilities; intermediate care facilities; and medical resorts which are skilled facilities that offer hotel style amenities, Green said.

Marc Hayot may be reached by email at [email protected] .

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