A full kitchen, bathroom and high-tech equipment are all part of Regency Hermiston’s new skilled nursing and rehabilitation unit.

The business celebrated a ribbon-cutting and open house Wednesday for the newly renovated facility.

Completed about six weeks ago, the renovation separated the facility’s two units: long-term care and rehabilitation and allows for expanded services and increased focus in each area.

Officials said the renovation stemmed from a need in the area. Before the rehabilitation unit opened, officials said many local residents would travel to Tri-Cities, Walla Walla or other cities for care.

We were transfering patients for our hospital to the Tri-Cities for extended care, skilled care and rehabilitation, Regency Hermiston Administrator Jerry Weldon said Wednesday. The motivation for this rennovation was to find a way to keep those people in Hermiston. The money that was invested into this building went into this community, that opened up positions that we filled for this community, and people from this community can stay here for care.

Rehabilitation patients usually stay at Regency Hermiston from four to six weeks for treatment of issues, such as broken hips, knee surgery or pneumonia.

The primary focus is to get people home as soon as possible functioning at the level or better than when they went into the hospital, Weldon said.

The renovated unit includes 21 private rooms, a dining room, therapy gym and state-of-the-art therapy equipment. Regency Hermiston now offers 24-hour nursing care, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapies.

The occupational therapy also includes a full kitchen and bathroom so patients can practice life skills, such as cooking a meal or entering and exiting a bathtub, before returning home, where assistance may not be available if they fall or are injured.

Sometimes people have never used a walker before, so they might go home and try to park the walker in a corner while they prepare dinner without stability, rehab manager Debbie Lingscheit said.

The new unit also includes new exercise and therapy equipment, such as the Sci-Fit, which allows patients to work on arms, legs or both at the same time, and the OmniVR virtual reality augmented therapy system which gives people a chance to work on strength, balance and mobility while playing games.

With the OmniVR, they may work harder and longer than they would in traditional therapy, Lingscheit said. A lot of times, a client may be in a wheelchair and will stay in their room looks down the hallway and doesn’t want to go the entire 37 feet, but they may go 40 feet on OmniVR and had fun doing it.

The renovation also changes the main entrance of the facility to Orchard Avenue, although the address will remain 970 W. Juniper Ave.

For more information about Regency Hermiston or to schedule a tour of the new unit, call 541-368-4340.