Juanita Potts Family Home opens
Open: The Juanita Potts Family Home opened in December 2014. The home for the elderly is located at 77 Mission Ridge Road and residents there will function very much like a family. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – When Deric Potts’ father developed dementia, he couldn’t find a facility that he was comfortable having him live at, so he decided to open his own.
The Juanita Potts Family Home opened in December 2014 at 77 Mission Ridge Road, which is the site of the former Shaw Barton Lodge.
“It’s an adult family home concept that is different than anything around here,” Deric said. “It’s popular in other areas of the country, but unheard of here. It gives you the feeling of being in a home and not an institution.”
The resort style home can house five residents and provides them with private bedrooms, half baths and shared bathrooms with showers that are handicap accessible. It also sits on just under two acres and is in a private secluded area off Cambridge Road.
Deric plans to hire six or seven employees to assist the residents, who he said will function very much like a family.
“We will eat as a family and do activities together internally and externally,” he said.
Deric also plans to partner with local schools to have choirs perform at the home and would even like to have the culinary arts students from the Coshocton County Career Center come do some cooking for the residents.
“I think it’s important for young and old to work together,” he said.
Plans also are in the works for an outdoor kitchen as Deric discovered that dementia patients especially benefit from sunlight.
His main goal, however, is to help people who maybe shouldn’t be still living at home, but aren’t ready for a nursing home and prevent them from being isolated from others.
“We want to keep people independent,” Deric said. “We will help you with things like your bathing, meals and laundry, but we won’t do it (completely) for you.”
To learn more about the Juanita Potts Family Home, visit www.jpfamilyhome.com or call Deric at 294-3072.
“It’s named after my mother who is probably the most caring and loving person I’ve ever known,” he said.
The public is welcome to tour the home during an open house from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Business
