User:Jbrowning30/Lutheran Senior Services

Lutheran Senior Services (LSS) is one of the United States’ largest nonprofit senior living organizations. It is the largest non-profit in Missouri, and is headquartered in St. Louis. LSS employs more than 2,300 employees to serve over 8,000 residents and clients. Its 10 senior living communities, nine affordable housing locations and eight in-home services help LSS rank as the 10th largest nonprofit multi-site senior housing network in the United States according to statistics gathered by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) and Ziegler Financial Services.

Mission Statement
Older Adults Living Life to the Fullest

Vision Statements

 * The love of Jesus Christ can be seen and recognized in all that we are and do and inspires us to reach out to older adults and their families.
 * The older adults we serve will experience the highest possible care and quality of life through an expanding network of supportive services and communities.
 * A continued sound financial structure will ensure stability, support a highly qualified workforce, provide benevolent care, and encourage future ministry expansion.

Communities and Services
LSS offers a number of services at their various living communities, ranging from independent living to skilled nursing care.

History - Before Lutheran Senior Services
Lutheran Senior Services was founded through the union of two Lutheran organizations in St. Louis - Lutheran Charities Association and Lutheran Altenheim Society.

1996-2000
On January 1, 1996, the LAS and LCA merged to form Lutheran Senior Services (LSS). Lutheran Charities Foundation, one of LCAs umbrella organizations, became a fully independent organization, while Lutheran Care Center, the 1929 Lutheran Altenheim building on Halls Ferry Road, and the cottages surrounding that property were sold to Lutheran Medical Center (now known as Tenet). This would be the beginning of a rapid, 15 year, multimillion dollar expansion process.

In 1996, LSS would open their second senior living community at Breeze Park, located in St. Charles, MO. From the outset, Breeze Park offered both independent and licensed assisted living units. But the company wanted to be able to reach people who were living in their own homes, so LSS opened its own Home Health Care Program in 1997. Also in 1997, the construction of the Village of Laclede Oaks was completed as well as the opening of the Rose Hill House (a HUD Section 202 facility), located in Kirkwood, MO. This facility consisted of 67 one-bedroom units, and opened in the spring of ’97.

One year later, LSS purchased a 51-acre site from AmerenUE overlooking the Meramec River Valley in unincorporated west St. Louis County. This would later become the site for the Meramec Bluffs senior living community in 2002. LSS continued to expand on its existing communities in 1998. Breeze Park completed Phase II of renovation, adding both independent and licensed assisted living units. Around the same time, the Oak Groves Recreation center opened on the Laclede Groves campus.

In 1999, Lutheran Senior Services began to receive recognition for the contributions it was making. It was selected to manage two affordable housing complexes, Euclid Plaza and James House for the St. Louis Housing Authority. It also received a 4.5 million HUD grand to build Dunn Road Manor, a 62-unit HUD Section 202 apartment complex in unincorporated north St. Louis County.

2000-2005
In February 2000, Breeze Park completed Phase III, which included a 20-bed skilled nursing facility. Also in 2000, LSS began construction of Hidden Lake’s 67-bed skilled nursing facility. This facility completed the continuum of care on the Hidden Lake campus when it opened its doors in December 2001.

2001 was a busy year for LSS. In February, the organization bought Richmond Terrace, a freestanding, 82-unit, licensed assisted living facility located in Richmond Heights. In June, LSS purchased Meridian Village, located in Glen Carbon, IL from Lutheran Child and Family services of Illinois. Provident Group, a for-profit subsidiary of LSS that specializes in managing and developing senior living communities, now manages these two communities. In the fall of 2001, LSS was awarded a grant from HUD to build a 62-unit senior affordable housing complex in Belleville, IL. This complex would become Westfield Manor and open its doors in December 2003.

2002 was another year full of growth for Lutheran Senior Services. The first months were marked by a new affiliation with Heisinger Lutheran Retirement Home (Heisinger Home), which ushered in a new era of regional growth in central Missouri. With the addition of this 65-unit licensed assisted living community, LSS expanded its presence into Jefferson City and was presented with an opportunity to extend its ministry. Plans to do so began with the expansion of this campus through the acquisition of a 5.2-acre adjoining site on the bank of the Missouri River. Also in early 2002, LSS began management of Concordia Village, a 33-unit senior living facility in Springfield, IL. In February, Dunn Road Manor in north St. Louis County was opened, adding another 62 affordable housing units.



Meramec Bluffs opened its doors to its first residents in June 2002, making it the first senior living community to be planned and built entirely by LSS. Meramec Bluffs included 177 independent living apartments, 19 patio homes, 58 licensed assisted living apartments and 20 skilled nursing beds.

In fall of 2002, construction began on the 65-bed skilled nursing facility and chapel at Breeze Park. In October, LSS was awarded another HUD grant for $6million for the construction and operation of Hilltop Manor in Eureka, MO. This Section 202 Affordable Housing facility has 62 one-bedroom units and would be constructed on land adjacent to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

In Spring 2003, construction began on the expansion areas of both Meridian Village and Heisinger Home. By December 2004, Meridian Village opened 63 independent living apartments and 72 assisted living units, with a new skilled nursing facility opened in December 2005. With the completion of its new dementia care unit, and additional independent and assisted living apartments, Heisinger Home was renamed Heisinger Bluffs.

2005-present
In January 2005, LSS was invited by the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus to begin operation of St. Joseph’s Home. LSS went on to purchase the 88-bed intermediate care facility later that year. Also in early 2005, LSS purchased the Lenoir Senior Living Community in Columbia, MO from the National Benevolent Association (NBA). The CCRC consisted of 60 independent living apartments, 130 senior living homes, 55 assisted living apartments, 104 skilled nursing beds and 17 Alzheimer’s beds. LSS also began management of three affordable housing locations formerly owned by NBA – Centennial Plaza, Hylton Point I and Hylton Point II.

Lutheran Senior Services expanded their presence into Illinois in May 2005 by beginning its association with Lutheran Hillside Village in Peoria. This community features 126 independent living apartments, 49 houses, 64 assisted living apartments and 85 skilled nursing beds. The affiliation was formalized in 2007.

In August 2009, Concordia Village in Springfield, IL opened its doors to the first phase of expansion into a CCRC, bringing assisted living, patio homes, and additional independent living apartments to the site.

Awards

 * 2009, LSS’ Breeze Park and Heisinger Bluffs cited as “two of the finest skilled nursing care centers in the country.”
 * 2009, 2011 - Number one non-profit to work at in St. Louis
 * 2010, Recieved an A-Fitch rating, only earned by a handful of noprofit groups nationwide