SALISBURY – Accordius Health at Salisbury on Thursday celebrated its grand reopening at 635 Statesville Blvd. after purchasing Brian Center Health & Rehabilitation last year.

The business assumed ownership of the Brian Center in May 2018. That was just several months after the former Brian Center had Medicare and Medicaid funding temporarily suspended because of compliance issues and two instances when residents escaped the facility.

“We’ve worked very, very hard on this building, getting it renovated and to make this possible,” said Wendy Stroud, administrator of Accordius Health. “I am just happy to be here today.”

The 58,000-square-foot senior care facility can hold as many as 185 patients and was recently remodeled.

Built in 1960, the building needed remodeling for restrooms near the main entry, new furniture in the front lobby, fresh paint, new wall decor and paintings as well as updates to the dining room and therapy room, which is used to assist rehab patients.

Assistant maintenance director Chris Freedle said he is glad to see progress at the facility.

“I was here a year ago as a housekeeping manager, left and came back,” Freedle said. “It was good to see as an old company where we were and where the progress has been over the last year and to finally receive recognition. I enjoyed seeing all of the things that have changed. It really brightens up the place.”

Freedle said it’s like “a brand new start.”

“It’s nice to see the community involved. This now gives residents a nice, bright and clean place for them to live,” he said.

Lynn-Ann McConnell, the facility’s director of nursing, said Accordius Health has made updates “to hallways, painted and redid floors.”

“We renovated the whole front lobby area and switched the dining room and therapy room,” she said.

Each private room accommodates two residents, McConnell said.

The facility aims to help assist prospective patients with transfers from home, hospital and other facilities. It offers rehabilitation therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy as well as hospice services.

Accordius Health’s rehab center offers services provided by licensed physical, speech and occupational therapists, works with residents in physical therapy to help them regain strength and mobility, manage pain or adapt to a permanent disability.

From a clinical standpoint, Accordius Health is looking to bring a cardiologist on board and possibly a pulmonologist so that it can take on more cardiac rehab patients, McConnell said.

“We want to be the choice facility in this area,” Stroud said. “We want people to be able to stay in their hometown, with their churches and their families, and get what they need.”

McConnell said residents enjoy indoor activities and games such as Bingo, movies, and arts and crafts.

“When they come into a place like this, they have friends and they have activities and they have people to talk to,” McConnell said. “When we involve the residents and the staff in an activity together, it’s an amazing thing to watch.”

McConnell said she enjoys “being able to help patients.”

“A lot of these patients don’t have families, don’t have visitors,” she said. “We are their family. Just coming in and calling them by name and giving them a hug and watching them light up is the best part.”

For more information about Accordius Health at Salisbury, call 704-633-7390.