Skyline Suites opens for business

By: 
Monika Spaulding, Digital Editor

Cindy Hartsook is ready to cook in the new kitchen at Skyline Suites.

This is one of the rooms available at the facility.

When Trent Nichols lost a good renter due to them wanting to live in an assisted living facility, he saw a need in the community that he wanted to provide.

He mentioned the idea to his son-in-law, Ryan Buchanan, and the two came up with the idea of Skyline Suites. They found the perfect property to build on and set to work on their vision. Now all that hard work that started three years ago is finally a reality.

Skyline Suites, an assisted living facility, located in Salem on Cauble Street, is open for business.

Buchanan said they have already moved in three residents and are anxious to move in more.

“We saw a need in the community,” he said, explaining that this facility is for people who aren’t in need of a nursing home, but need a little more attention, especially if they live alone. Skyline Suites provides 550, 640 and 810 square foot rooms, meals and snacks, laundry services, hair services, television, phone, Wi-Fi, all for one cost.

“There are no extra hidden fees. It’s all included.”

Buchanan said he and Nichols toured 17 facilities to get ideas on what they were looking for. 

“They all felt institutionalized,” said Nichols. “They all felt like nursing homes. We didn’t want that. We wanted a place that felt like home as much as possible.”

When you walk in the front door of the facility, there is a main room with a large, open kitchen on the left, a dining room and open living space on the right. There is a fireplace and a television, which makes it more of an activity room. 

“We strive to create an environment that feels like home, with a residential style kitchen,” said Buchanan. “And we welcome residents to bring their own furniture, their own beds. The rooms are big enough to make it really comfortable.”

Each room has a large handicap accessible bathroom, a kitchenette, a large all-weather patio that can be used year round and a 55 inch flat screen TV mounted on the wall. Each room also has its own heating and air-conditioning unit, allowing patients to shut their room door and regulate their own room temperature.

While facilities they toured had a basic flat rate with additional charges for add-ons, Buchanan said Skyline Suites charges just one fee, with everything included.

“Our rates are comparable to area facilities, except that our rooms are anywhere from 50 to 250 square feet bigger,” said Buchanan.

Residents are served three meals a day according to their dietary needs. There is an in-room nurse call station and they will soon have something called a LifeShare system that allows residents, staff and families to share things through technology, like communication, pictures, etc.

Buchanan said they have the equipment to manage rehab to home patients, as well, and are partnered with KentuckyOne Health to make the transition easier for residents.

“When patients are released from rehab, but they aren’t quite ready to go home on their own yet, they can come here for in-home rehab,” he said. “This is especially useful for people who don’t have help or live alone.”

Skyline Suites offers by the day leasing for situations just like this.

He said the main health requirement for residents is that they are able to transfer on their own, such as able to move themselves from the bed into a chair or onto a toilet.

“We provide assistance, but when you need a skilled nurse, this is not the place for that,” he said, adding that they have nine employees. While some are CNAs, none are RNs.

“We do not dispense medication here, we help remind our residents to take it.”

The facility currently has 12 rooms and six of those rooms are big enough for two people.

“So, we could handle up to 18 people at this time,” said Buchanan.

Nichols said they are very pleased with how it turned out.

“It’s a nice country setting, it’s close to the hospital and it’s not too far from town,” he said. “You can sit outside and see deer at night.”

They said the City of Salem has went above and beyond to help them bring the facility to the community from day one.

“The mayor and the City of Salem has worked well with us,” continued Nichols. “They helped make sure the project moved along. The city saw the benefits of jobs, tax base, etc. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Buchanan said tours are available daily or by appointment. There is always someone at the facility with the residents, even through the night.

Visit skylinesuitesindiana.com for more information or call (812) 320-3761 or e-mail: skylinesuites.info@gmail.com

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