Project Overview
The Logan Intergenerational Family Education (LIFE) Center Project
The Logan Intergenerational Facility is a unique conceptual idea that will integrate several community facilities into one structure. The basic elements of this facility would include a new 36-bed nursing home facility based on the modern, person centered, small house design concept, much like the “Green House Project” design, a new Pre-k through 4th grade elementary school, a new accommodating gymnasium with associated locker room complex (which would also serve as a community storm shelter), a weight room and wellness facility which would be open and available to the public, a community room and gathering place, and a small theater room holding up to approximately 50 patrons.
The new Intergenerational Center would be located north of the existing high school building, and would be connected to the existing high school via a climate-controlled indoor corridor. All elements of the facility would be interconnected allowing residents from the nursing home to visit and participate in the pre-school through 4th grade classrooms, attend ballgames or practices, etc. The current plan also includes upgrades to the existing high school kitchen so that the school and nursing home could share food preparation and dietary staff. The current budget for this project also contemplates resurfacing and improving the existing parking lot located on the west side of the school, and adding additional parking adjacent to the football field.
The Overarching Project Goal and Objectives
Goal: Our goal is to create a state-of-the art intergenerational facility to meet multiple community needs, including public education, skilled disabled and senior care services, and community center, in a way that improves educational outcomes, enhances quality of life, and is more economical than trying to solve the issues as separate-funded projects.
We have four main objectives in this project:
Objective 1: Build a sustainable 36-bed senior living facility connected to the public-school building based on a concept similar to the "Green House Project" design (person centered, small house design concept) to improve the quality of life and care for residents and maximize potential revenue sources.
Objective 2: Build an energy-efficient Pre-K through 4th Grade facility connected to the existing public-school building and new senior living facility to maximize intergenerational contact which enhances outcomes for the students and elderly.
Objective 3: Build a community resource including a large gymnasium with an associated locker room complex that doubles as a community storm shelter, weight room, community room, gathering space, and wellness facility available to the public to provide citizens of Logan Kansas with a secure refuge from storms for public safety as well as access to fitness equipment to improve overall health outcomes.
Objective 4: Connect these new additions to the existing main school building via a climate-controlled corridor and immediately adjacent to the ABC Community Daycare Center to establish a true intergenerational campus where both our very youngest infants to our eldest community members can benefit from regular interaction, project-based learning and recreation activities, and central services such as kitchen and laundry can be shared to improve efficiencies of both organizations.
Why a comprehensive / intergenerational approach?
The rural community of Logan Kansas faces an uncertain future with a trend of declining population, increasing regulatory challenges for older nursing homes, old infrastructure requiring significant expenses to maintain, and pressure from state government to consolidate schools and other critical community services with neighboring communities. Education and Skilled Nursing Services, two of our most important services both from community and economic perspectives, are in jeopardy if we do nothing. The closure of either of these facilities can ultimately result in further decline in population. To address one and not the other will not ensure a future for Logan: both services are equally important to the future of our community. Finally, as in most rural communities, there are shortages of teachers, nurses and other medical professionals: any measures we can take to become a destination of choice for these professionals will help ensure the future of our town.
We believe this project will not only address the needs of both education and senior care, but also bring exciting, innovative changes that can help our community reverse the population trend.
Expected Outcomes:
While undoubtedly there will be countless outcomes from such a large-scale project, we anticipate these outcomes to be the most impactful:
Decrease social isolation and its ill effects among the elderly, and increase a feeling of belonging, self-esteem and well-being in those individuals.
Improve behavior and academic skills, self-esteem, and sense of empathy in youth.
Turbo charge an already exemplary 0-5 Kindergarten readiness initiative through the ABC Community Daycare and Pre-K program
Reduce operational and maintenance costs for two major community services with implementation of shared services and more energy efficient modern facility construction.
Increase economic opportunities, both short and long term, with the promotion of an innovative, unique intergenerational facility to improve quality of life for all, thus potentially encouraging others to relocate into this inventive community.
Retain and possibly boost enrollment a local public school, a major employer in the city, during a time of uncertain future for rural school districts.
Retain a skilled nursing facility, a major employer in the city, during a time when rural nursing homes are closing.
Foster a stronger sense of community and promote trust, understanding, and empathy across all ages.