Submitted by San Juan County Public Hospital District #1

This past week, as a Village at the Harbor resident was getting ready to catch an 8 a.m. flight to attend an off-island appointment, one of the kitchen staff stopped them to hand them a breakfast sandwich, stating, “We know you won’t be here for breakfast, so we made you a sandwich to go.”

Every day at the Village starts and ends with a homemade meal provided by the full-time chefs and kitchen staff, many of whom work long hours to provide the highest possible quality food to residents. Evan Perrollaz, Administrator at the Village at the Harbor, commented on the personalized services provided in the dining room, stating, “If you don’t eat tomatoes, you won’t ever see a tomato on your plate. Every day, our chefs and kitchen staff go above and beyond to make sure that every resident feels cared for and valued”.

The staff in the dining room’s specialized care for employees is not an isolated example; it provides just one instance of every employee’s passion and involvement for the residents of the Village. Perrollaz remarked, “The staff at the Village are not just here for the money. They are here because they have a passion for providing high-quality care to the aging population on San Juan Island.”

The Village at the Harbor is the only assisted living facility on San Juan Island. On February 28th, 2022, it was acquired by San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1. The acquisition of the Village at the Harbor is part of an ongoing initiative by the Hospital District to increase resources available to seniors on San Juan Island and make aging in place more attainable.

Nathan Butler, Superintendent of San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1, states, “The acquisition of the Village means that the Village will have immediate access to public funding and that long-term care is a valued public service.”

Trish Lehman, commissioner of the Hospital District noted, “Our goal in acquiring the Village was to enhance the services available to seniors on San Juan Island; one way we are meeting our goal is by providing support to the employees of the Village. We want the employees at the

Village to know that they are valued and that we see how they go above and beyond daily to provide the best care possible.”

The impact of public funding has already been felt. Benefits were provided for the first time on March 1st, including retirement, an excellent healthcare package, and PTO. Creating a stable workforce was one of the main goals of the project, and this in turn benefits residents.

The Hospital District plans to add Medicaid beds, create a homecare program, and work on building renovations – all using the Village at the Harbor as the base to build these services. San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1 will be hosting an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 11 at 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Village at 543 Spring Street to celebrate the acquisition of the Village.

San Juan County Public Hospital District #1 operates San Juan Island EMS and the Village at the Harbor. It also pays a large subsidy to support clinic and hospital services at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center.