MOUNT MORRIS, N.Y., Dec. 3, 2025 — Livingston County Administrator Shannon Hillier joined County officials, caregivers and community members at the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation (CNR) today to celebrate the County nursing facility’s 20th anniversary.
The event recognized the CNR’s impact on Livingston County and the surrounding area, along with its accomplishments throughout the decades. Since its founding in 2005, the CNR has adapted to meet growing community needs, expanded its therapeutic and wellness programs, and remained committed to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care to the County’s older adults and those in recovery.
“Twenty years ago today, the County made a commitment to our elderly population, that they could come to this newly constructed building and receive vital health care services in a caring and respectful environment,” said Livingston County Board Chair David LeFeber. “Today, it remains a precious resource for older adults and those recovering from illness or injury. The CNR’s legacy of care reflects two decades of dedicated staff, steady leadership and a continued promise to serve our residents with dignity and compassion.”
The CNR first opened its doors to patients and residents on Dec. 3, 2005. At the time, the $39.4 million, 266-bed state-of-the-art nursing facility was the largest capital project in the history of Livingston County. It marked a major investment in modernizing long-term care and expanding access to skilled nursing services for County residents.
Frank Bassett served as the County’s director of long term care during the construction of the CNR. He was instrumental in the planning and vision for the new facility, which he oversaw until his retirement in January of 2019. Bassett encouraged County leadership to move away from the traditional institutional model of long hallways with rooms on both sides in favor of constructing 12-bed family units within small “neighborhoods” throughout the facility. He described this approach as a person-centered care model that fostered a stronger sense of community and made it easier for the mobility impaired to socialize, dine and recreate with nearby residents. Initially the board was hesitant due to the increased costs associated with this model.
“I remember saying directly to the board of supervisors, ‘Keep in mind, the bed we build here today may one day be the bed you occupy. What bed do you want?’” he recalled.
Bassett said person-centered care lets residents determine their own schedules, when they wake up, go to bed, dine, and participate in activities.
“We were abandoning the ‘do to’ approach and shifting to a ‘do with’ as it related to how the resident was engaged in decisions regarding their care,” he explained. “I think that through those efforts we have literally changed how anyone entering the center experiences care moving forward. It literally changed the future of all those aging in Livingston County and neighboring counties that are served by the center and for that I’m immensely proud to have fostered that culture.”
The County has a long and deliberate history of caring for its older community members. Less than 10 years after its founding, it created the Livingston County Poorhouse in 1829, later known as the County Home, to assist residents with a wide range of needs, including elder care. In 1964, the County Home transitioned into the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) with locations in Geneseo and Mount Morris serving as Livingston County’s first official nursing home. In 2001, County officials voted unanimously to construct a new facility to address aging buildings, excess bed capacity and operating deficits at the SNF. Construction of the CNR began in the summer of 2003 on the County’s Murray Hill Campus, a short walk from the site of Mount Morris’ former state-run tuberculosis hospital. The CNR, along with several other human services-oriented County departments, now occupies the former tuberculosis hospital campus, continuing the site’s long legacy of care.
The CNR’s Deputy Director of Long-Term Care, Samontra Spencer, stated, “We've accomplished so much but there's an even brighter future ahead. This community relies on CNR services to meet their skilled nursing and rehabilitation care needs. The CNR will continue to be a trusted provider for residents seeking skilled nursing and skilled therapy services for decades to come. We will continue providing excellent care for residents and a great place of employment for our staff.”
Spencer praised the CNR’s original planners for their foresight, noting that more than 20 years ago they designed a modern care facility with everything residents would need today – from smaller, homelike “neighborhoods” and a designated rehabilitation center to a memory care unit, library, salon, and even a café for residents, staff, and visitors to enjoy.
A leading facility in the region, the CNR currently holds a four-star overall quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Quality Star Rating report. The CNR’s ranking places it above average overall when compared to other nursing homes throughout the state and across the country. CMS awarded the CNR four stars in the categories of health inspections, quality measures, and staffing. The CNR currently has more than 320 skilled employees on staff providing round-the-clock care and essential support services for residents.
Since its founding, the CNR has grown into one of the region’s most comprehensive nursing facilities, offering 24-hour skilled nursing, short-term post-acute rehabilitation, and traditional long-term care in a welcoming, home-like environment. Its care model emphasizes individualized care plans and robust activity programming that involves families, volunteers, and even pets to support residents’ physical, emotional, and social well-being. The facility uses a neighborhood model, with small 12-bed family units, courtyards, and a simple resident-friendly layout for the mobility-impaired.
The CNR offers various treatment methods and modern health care options, including audiology, consulting podiatry, dentistry, speech therapy, ophthalmology, bariatric care, occupational therapy, pharmacological services, hair care, and more.
For more information, visit the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation’s website or call 585-243-7200.
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About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is home to more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.