Legacy Garden Rehabilitation & Living Center was a long-standing facility located in Pender, Nebraska, with a legacy of over fifty years of providing care to the community in its current facility. Dedicated to long-term rehabilitation and residential living, the center became an integral part of many families' lives, ensuring that residents received the attention and quality of care they deserved. Throughout its operation, the staff and administrators at Legacy Garden Rehabilitation & Living Center worked tirelessly to create a supportive and nurturing environment where residents felt secure and valued.
The center offered skilled care services, focusing on both rehabilitation and living needs, adapting over the decades to meet the evolving requirements of local residents. The environment fostered at Legacy Garden emphasized not only health and safety but also a strong sense of community, where dedicated staff became like extended family to many of the individuals in their care. The longstanding commitment to resident well-being was a hallmark of the facility, shaping the lives of those who called Legacy Garden home.
Despite decades of continued service, Legacy Garden Rehabilitation & Living Center faced significant challenges in its later years. The national shortage of healthcare workers, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, placed enormous strain on staffing within the center. As maintaining suitable staffing levels became increasingly difficult, concerns grew regarding the ability to uphold the high standards of care that had always been the center’s priority. Ultimately, after exhausting all possible avenues to remain open, the facility made the difficult decision to close its doors as of May 14th, 2022.
Throughout the closure process, the well-being and safety of the residents remained at the forefront. The staff at Legacy Garden assisted the eighteen residents and their families with the transition to other area skilled care facilities. All fifteen full-time and part-time staff were encouraged to continue working and were offered ongoing pay and a stay/severance package in recognition of their dedication during this period. The transition plan reflected the facility’s enduring commitment to the residents and the staff who played such an important role in their care, ensuring that, even in its final days, Legacy Garden Rehabilitation & Living Center stayed true to its mission of compassionate support and service.