Ninety-three residents of Dunn Nursing Home were moved over a five-hour period Sunday to their new home at Park Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The move, accomplished after months of planning by owner-administrator Charles Hise and his staff, went like clockwork and without a hitch.

The first two patients to move at 8 a.m., on a cloudy cold day, were Sarah Hubbard who was transported in a car by members of her family and Clifford Morrison who was driven in a bright red SUV by Jacqueline Randolph, a social worker on staff of the now Park Place Nursing. The move was completed around 1 p.m., according to Joanne Bunch, director of nursing.

Interviewed in the lobby of the new facility at 100 Park Place, Hise said the final signoff for occupancy was received this past week from the state health department.

Patients came one by one through the brightly lit and attractively furnished entry room. They were transported by cars, vans, SUVs and ambulances provided free of charge by a CARE Ambulance fleet that had been assembled from across the state, according to Hise.

Hise, obviously pleased with the quality of the structure built under his watchful eye, said &uot;This facility will be taking care of people long after I’m gone.&uot;

Hise said that the staff will be increasing about 5-6 percent, to 120-125 total to care for the 93 residents. He noted that there are 10 additional rooms but he’s not in a hurry to fill them, even though applications are already starting to come into his office.

Hise believes it important for both staff and residents to get used to their new home and new procedures necessitated by the new facility. That will take time and Hise talked about the importance of establishing the right procedures from the beginning of operations.

In the not-too-distant future the outpatient therapy unit will be opened. The equipment is already in place, he said. In-patient therapy is available now, he added.

Hise has spoken in the past of plans for the old Dunn Nursing home at 515 Mabry St. Discussions continue with several individuals, he said, looking toward sale to a new entity and the creation of housing for older persons who are at risk but not yet ready for assisted living. Hise owns two assisted-living facilities in the area, one adjacent to Park Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and one in Greenville.

Summing up the experience of moving day, Hise said it was an enormous undertaking. &uot;Think,&uot; he said, &uot;about what it takes to move a single family &045; and then consider what’s involved in moving 93.&uot;

Families had already started moving personal items to the new rooms on Friday and all furniture was in place to receive the residents. As quickly as possible, Hise said, his maintenance crew will be completing the move by hanging pictures and doing similar things for residents.

Families of residents, when questioned during the day, were uniformly positive about Hise, Dunn and the new Park Place. Charles Hubbard, the retired son of Sarah Hubbard, one of the first two to move, said that Dunn &uot;is the best place I’ve ever seen.&uot; Barbara Rosser accompanied her mother Martha McKay, who had worked as a dietician for Dunn for years and is now a resident at age 89. Rosser said, &uot;We’re just proud to be here. We’re very excited about moving into the new building. The patients really deserve it.&uot;

Late in the afternoon nursing director Bunch said that the move had gone exceedingly well. She continued, &uot;The patients are excited, the families are thrilled. All of us are so grateful for this new facility.&uot; She added, &uot;All of us &045; administration and staff &045; want to thank this community for an absolutely wonderful outpouring of

love and care in helping us to make this move. What we’ve seen today is the spirit of a small-town community, helping one another out. It’s just fabulous. Everyone kicked in.&uot;