Fairfield’s SunnyBrook Living Care Center sold

FAIRFIELD — Betty Howell is stepping down as the owner of SunnyBrook Living Care Center in Fairfield, a business she founded in 1995 and which grew to six locations.

Howell has sold the other locations over the years, and this year decided it was time to sell the last of her buildings, the one in Fairfield located at 400 S. Highland St. Prestige Care of New York has purchased SunnyBrook Living Care Center and its home care services, and will assume ownership on Tuesday, March 1. The Fairfield location will change its name to Prestige Care of Fairfield.

The staff at SunnyBrook threw Howell a surprise going-away party Thursday morning, complete with a cake with frosting that read “Bon Voyage,” with a tropical theme. The choice of theme was apt given that Howell will retire in Florida, though she plans to return to Fairfield for occasional visits.

Howell turns 68 this year, and she felt that it was the right time to step down from the business.

“I’m not getting any younger,” she said. “I have thought about this decision for years, and I wanted whoever purchased the business to continue my philosophy, and I feel like I found that person.”

Cyndi Gentz will continue running the day-to-day operations of the business as its administrator, a position she has held since November 2020. Gentz spent 22 years working at the I.O.O.F. Home & Community Therapy Center in Mason City, and later worked in Greenfield before accepting the role as SunnyBrook’s administrator.

Howell said she expects a smooth transition, with no changes to staffing.

“I’m just a phone call away,” Howell said. “The new owner will be in quite often, and I’m leaving behind a wonderful team. My whole management team … I’m going to miss them dearly.”

Prestige Care of Fairfield will inherit a living care center with capacity for 73 residents, plus a home care service that provides assistance to 200-plus clients in 13 counties. The living care center portion of the business has about 100 employees, and the home care portion relies on about 40 nurses and other providers.

Howell started working in the health care industry at a young age. As a 16-year-old living in Marianna, Arkansas, she went to work for a nursing home taking patients’ blood pressure and temperature. Howell said her skills all came from on-the-job training.

“I love it as much today as I did back then,” Howell said. “You might as well love what you’re doing since you’ve got to pay the bills somehow.”

Howell started SunnyBrook Assisted Living in her home in 1995 before building its current facility six years later. But she didn’t stop there. The following year in 2002, she opened a SunnyBrook in Mt. Pleasant, and in 2008 alone opened SunnyBrooks in Fort Madison, Burlington, Muscatine and Carroll. When the Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield moved into its new building on South Highway 1 around that same time, Howell took on the long-term care center in JCHC’s former home on Highland Street, which became SunnyBrook Living Care Center.

“I’d like to thank Jefferson County Health Center for entrusting me with their 36-bed long-term care center,” Howell said.

Howell said she owes a debt of gratitude to Iowa State Bank as well.

“They supported me when the chips were down,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons SunnyBrook has been successful.”

Howell sold all her assisted living centers about a decade ago, so though some retained the name SunnyBrook, they are owned by a different company. In recent years, SunnyBrook Living Care Center has been renovated to add a coffee shop, sweet shop, salon and a movie theater.

Howell said her decision to retire feels “bittersweet,” because although she is ready for it on one hand, on the other hand, it’s hard to say goodbye.

“It’s been an honor and a pleasure to serve our community and our elderly,” she said. “I cherish the relationships I have with our residents and their family members.”

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com