Covenant Village debuted a $1 million-plus renovation of its Sequoia assisted living residence to eagerly awaiting residents on Monday.

The floor to ceiling remodel included new finishings, fixtures, and furniture in order to better establish a comfortable and supportive living environment that is much more up to date.

“Our architects and designers collaborated to create areas where people can visit, talk, socialize and participate – all the elements that build community while emphasizing wellness and quality of life,” said Covenant Village of Turlock Executive Director Bob Howell.

The main rooms as well as the bedrooms have been remodeled, with several cool colors like tans, greens, blues, and whites and natural light flooding the hallways.

“Part of Covenant retirement’s community is we have 12 campuses in eight states and they employ a designer that we used so we get the same look and feel on the different campuses,” said Howell. “What they did in 2007 on the Redwood lodge carries though and has the same motif as here. That makes it very easy and very cost efficient as well.”

The Sequoia residence holds about 50 residents at a time and is currently near capacity. On the Turlock campus, the Sequoia residence provides assisted living – the median level of care within the Covenant retirement community.

Meals are offered three times a day with table service while most of the residents make their own way to the dining room.

In the dining room, Elaine Rainey sat taking in the chatter with a smile on her face. Rainey, who had been the resident to help cut the ribbon, explained that she had been a motivator for the renovation.

“Because I had said to Bob Howell, ‘we’re decorating every place but Sequoia hasn’t been decorated.’ They chose Birch and all the other facilities. So that got him talking and thinking– I’m on the [resident] council where we can go back and forth.”

Originally from Lebanon, Ohio, Rainey followed a whirlwind romance out to San Jose in 1977. Rainey represents Sequoia on the resident council, a role she treasures as she misses her work with the Santa Clara County Juvenile Probation. Rainey worked as a transcriptionist typing up the court reports of probationers to their probation officers for 11 years. Following her retirement, Rainey moved to Turlock.

“The one who brought me out here, John, passed away in 1999. It was a hard move, but I needed people. I’m a social butterfly.”

Rainey enjoys the musical performances Sequoia provides for residents, and was excited to see the four-month long renovation project finally come to fruition.