Montgomery Memorial to recognize Blair family with nursing unit dedication
| Date Posted: 12/29/2010
TROY – FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital will recognize three generations of a Montgomery County family known for its philanthropy while dedicating a nursing unit in the family’s honor at a special program on Thursday, Jan. 6.
The naming of Blair Hall pays tribute to the late Ada Allen Blair, her son, the late Joseph Reece Blair, and his children, some of whom are still civically active in the Montgomery County community. Located on the hospital’s third floor, the newly renovated unit provides both acute (traditional hospital) and rehabilitation care for patients who are recovering from illness, surgery or injury.
The upcoming event, to be held from 5 to 7 p.m., will include a brief dedication ceremony as well as refreshments and tours of the unit. Staff members will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.
“I knew Ada Allen Blair when I was very young and working in my family’s nursing home,” says Montgomery Memorial Hospital President Kerry Hensley. “She was one of my very favorite residents there, and I enjoyed hearing her talk about her grandchildren. Honoring these folks in this way recognizes a family that has always been very civic-minded and compassionate about people who had less than they did. They have been wonderful stewards of the resources they have been blessed with.”
Ada Allen Blair donated the land on which Montgomery Memorial Hospital was built 60 years ago as well as the land for Montgomery Community College. Joseph Reece Blair was a career military physician and in his later years a resident of Montgomery Memorial’s former Skilled Nursing Facility. His daughter, Claudia Blair Bulthuis, and her husband, Jim Bulthuis, now own and operate the Blair House Bed and Breakfast in Troy.
Jim Bulthuis is currently a member of the FirstHealth of the Carolinas Board of Directors and the Foundation of FirstHealth’s Board of Trustees, and his sister-in-law, JoAnn Blair-Adams, served on the FirstHealth Board of Directors from 1999 to 2003.
The nursing unit named for the Blair family provides a full-range of services including physical and occupational therapy, extended IV antibiotic therapy, recuperative care for cardiac bypass surgery patients and nursing care for patients transferred from other hospitals. Many patients are admitted to the unit after orthopedic surgery (such as knee, hip or shoulder replacement).
Benefits of the Blair Hall program include a low nurse-to-patient ratio, immediate treatment for emergencies, a daily courtesy visit by the hospital physician and the availability of guest dining at the noon or evening meal.
The seven-bed unit recently underwent cosmetic renovations (new paint, floor treatments and space utilization changes) to give it a more congenial, less institutional atmosphere. Other features include distinct and comfortable dining and social areas where patients can enjoy meals and visits with relatives and friends.
