New Senior Housing Development by Ecumen and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Brings Catered Living to Idaho
Senior housing, fully integrated with a suite of onsite assisted living services, to support independent living and serve as a model for other churches and communities. Sandpoint, ID (PRWEB) November 15, 2007 -- http://www.ecumen.org - Aging services provider Ecumen, one of the country's largest non-profit senior housing companies, has collaborated with First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint and other Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) partners to break ground on Idaho's first catered living senior housing development in Sandpoint, Idaho. Luther Park at Sandpoint will be physically connected to First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint and will open in November of 2008. Catered living communities by Ecumen integrate senior housing focused on independent living with a suite of on site assisted living services. The catered living design focuses on promoting successful aging by enabling seniors to stay as independent as possible in a community they love even when they need assisted living services or memory care. The senior housing development Luther Park is a multi-dimensional collaboration of Ecumen and its partners within the ELCA. First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint is the owner while Ecumen will develop and manage. The development's primary lender is the Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA, with additional financing being provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. "It is a wonderful example of collaboration, in the best sense of the word," states First Lutheran Pastor Dave Olson. "This new housing option is a tremendous opportunity to enhance intergenerational relationships, nurture lifelong learning, provide spiritual nourishment and deliver health services that help people live as fully and as independently as possible." The catered living model has helped to ensure pre-leasing of nearly three-fourths of Luther Park's residences. The model includes spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments, added to other amenities such as a grand fireplace gathering area, library and media center, community meeting rooms, a salon and barber shop and outdoor walking paths. "Catered senior living is a product that our customers enjoy for a number of reasons," states Dana Wollschlager, director of real estate development for Ecumen. "It allows people to right size their home and not spend time and money on home upkeep. It creates a vital neighborhood and it engages people socially while providing peace of mind for our customers via health care services on site." "Luther Park is designed around the ideal of building a community and making Sandpoint a great place to grow and grow old," continues Pastor Olson. Ecumen, based in Shoreview, Minnesota, is one of the country's largest non-profit senior housing, services and development companies. Ecumen's "Changing Aging" blog can be found at www.ecumen.org/changing-aging/. About Ecumen
Ecumen (www.ecumen.org) is based in Shoreview, Minn., and is one of the largest non-profit senior housing companies in the United States. The name Ecumen comes from the word ecumenical, which in turn is derived from the Greek word for home: "Oikos." Ecumen works to create "home" for older adults wherever they choose to live. Ecumen is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and has 4,000 team members. ###
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