A great place to LIVE, WORK, and VISIT. 2009 Annual Meeting
Mar 15, 2016
it’s an exciting time to be part of Lutheran Life villages, a
premier retirement-living provider with a focus on life-enrichingopportunities. whether you’re
looking for a great place to live, work—or just visit family
and friends—Lutheran Life villages offers a better way of living.
For over 75 years, we’ve been providing outstanding retirement
options for older adults in northern indiana. it’s a legacy we plan to continue for many
years to come.
Another year of positive changeAs I wrap up my second year of leading Lutheran Life Villages, I once again find myself owing a debt
of gratitude to all the people who make this organization what it is today — a premier retirement-
living provider with a focus on life-enriching opportunities. I consider it a huge blessing to be part
of a team with such a strong foundation — over 75 years and counting.
As much as I appreciate our heritage, I’m even more excited about our future. Last year, I presented
to you our dream to make Lutheran Life Villages a place where people want to live, professionals
want to work, and family and friends want to visit. That kind of vision requires commitment,
dedication, and belief in a cause beyond ourselves.
It’s exactly that kind of devotion that I see every day in our staff, residents, volunteers, and
supporters. As you read through this report, you’ll see specific examples of the ways we’ve
made that dream a reality. Lutheran Life Villages truly is a great place to live, work, and visit.
ChallengesThat’s not to say that the road toward this dream has been without obstacles. Our census has
decreased 15 percent over the past year. In addition, it has become increasingly clear that in
order for our organization to sustain our current market position — let alone take that next step
of growth — we need to overcome financial obstacles. We have a multitude of growth options
to consider, but limited financial resources to commit. It’s evident that we need clear direction
now as our plan from last fall has been disrupted by the economy.
In addressing these challenges, we’ve made some tough decisions in the past year. We’ve adjusted
our staffing levels to “right size” our organization for these lean economic times. Our current team of
Letter from the President and CEO
of employees has stepped up with significant cost savings, implementing these decisions with
an attitude that says, “We can do it!” Streamlining is never easy, but today we can move forward
as a more efficient and stronger organization than ever before.
We’ve also created the Lutheran Life Villages Foundation to serve as the fundraising arm
of Lutheran Life Villages. In the few short months since its inception, Lutheran Life Villages
Foundation is not just meeting our expectations; it’s surpassing them. Through strategies such
as planned giving, annual giving, and charitable gift annuities, the foundation is helping raise
crucial funds for Lutheran Life Villages.
And let’s not forget CrabFest ’09, the first fundraising event of its kind at Lutheran Life Villages.
Thanks to the work of Jon Dize, vice president of development, and all of you who joined us for this
event, CrabFest proved wildly successful — so much so that we had to move the venue two weeks
prior to the event to accommodate what would have been an overflow crowd. Normally, just to
break even for a first-time fundraising event is considered success. CrabFest exceeded this goal
and actually raised more than $13,000! Great job, everyone!
Plans for the futureSo where does this leave us for the future? Let me suggest three areas where we can focus our
attention in the next year:
North Fort WayNe campus – We remain steadfast in our pursuit of a retirement-living campus
on the north side of Fort Wayne. We’re currently considering a very intriguing option and hope to
finalize that decision by the spring of 2010.
home health services – We also continue to pursue the option of launching home health services.
Starting or acquiring a home health agency would be advantageous and would:
• Makeustheonlyretirementcommunityintheregionwithahomehealthagency.
• Actasanatural“filler”forassistedlivingandnursingcareforourcampuses.
• Spreadourreachfarbeyondourwalls.
• Trulydiversifyourrevenuestream.
A key driver to watch closely regarding this option is health-care reform to see if more federal
and state dollars will be shifted to home and community-based services.
“Everything we accomplish here is the result of a total
team effort, and our residents don’t hesitate to show us their
heartfelt appreciation for our hard work and dedication.”
— Keith SheltonDirector of Environmental Services
Fort Wayne
“Impacting residents’ lives at Lutheran Life Villages gives me a sense of purpose and
self-worth. I would not trade these moments for anything
in the world.”
— Tricia MurphyDirector of Wellness
Fort Wayne
eNgagemeNt - We need to continue to look for opportunities to partner with churches, delegates,
and sister organizations, as well as communicate our stories to all levels of the community. Our
current marketing blitz announcing our new name has maximized the opportunity to tell our story
to a market ready to explore the options we provide.
In addition, we’ll continue to redefine retirement living in our current communities as we brand
ourselves as leaders in retirement services. I look forward to your help as we pursue these goals. In
the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about our accomplishments in the past year. We’ve truly
made Lutheran Life Villages a great place to live, work, and visit — thanks to you.
Bruce BlalockPresident and CEO
At Lutheran Life Villages, we’re focused on life, not just care. It’s all about a change in lifestyle for our
residents, keeping people active physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. In doing so,
we’re helping them live the fullest life possible, wherever they are in our care continuum. It’s just that simple.
Heritage TrailIn the last year, one of the ways we’ve greatly enhanced the quality of life for our Fort Wayne
campus residents is through our Heritage Trail, dedicated August 10. A scenic paved path that
encircles and connects the various communities on the 42-acre campus along South Anthony
Boulevard, Heritage Trail is a welcome addition to Lutheran Life Villages’ Fort Wayne campus.
This ongoing, privately funded project will provide residents and community members alike
with multiple opportunities for recreation, exercise, and renewal. The winding walkways, quiet
water features, rose gardens, and picnic areas and benches slated for the trail provide a welcome
atmosphere for a relaxing stroll or vigorous walk. And don’t forget the putting green, ready to
provide hours of golfing enjoyment.
While Phase I of the trail is completed, connecting South Anthony Boulevard to Independent Living
and extending around to the back of the chapel, we’re looking for support of Phase II and III to finish
the circuit around the entire campus.
Rehabilitation unitsAnother way we’re making the Fort Wayne campus a great place to live is through a separate
rehabilitation unit, which occupies the second floor of the main building. The Rehab Suites promise
tocompetewellinthemarketplace.Moreimportantly,thisnewareaprovidesaplaceforshort-term
patients to transition from hospital to home in a setting designed for their unique needs.
Likewise, we’re creating a similar unit in Kendallville, where we’re changing 10 of the 16 rooms
onournorthwingintoaMedicarerehabilitation“transitionalunit.”Thisareawillbedesigned
specifically for short-term rehabilitation patients, giving them the opportunity to continue their
recovery after a hospital stay before they return home. These units are just one more way we’re
making our communities great places to live.
A great place to Live
“We tell people that living here is like being on a cruise. We’re having a ball! We have to pick and choose our activities or we’d be busy all the time.”
— Charlie and Marty ImlerIndependent Living Residents
A five-star communityInaddition,we’reproudtoreportthatKendallvilleremainsafive-star-ratedMedicarefacility,
offering the very best in retirement living to our residents. Lutheran Life Villages is currently the only
retirement community in Noble County with this five-star rating.
Continued focus on wellnessOn both campuses, we continue to integrate the six dimensions of wellness into everything we do
on a daily basis, with some amazing results. Here are just a few examples of the way our wellness
approach is enriching the lives of our residents every day. In the past year, we:
• Launched a “Getting to Know Your Bodies” series, in which guest speakers present health and wellness topics to our residents twice a month. Recent seminars included diabetes management, fall prevention, and oral hygiene.
• Addeddaily“finishingtouches”—achancefor8-10womentogatherafterbreakfast in the beauty shop for facial cleansing, make-up application, and a chance to catch up on the latest news. Our ladies now have something to look forward to each morning and love one another’s company.
• Replacedconcentratedjuices,sodas,andsugarysnacksatactivitieswithhealthier alternatives, such as whole fruit and water. Our residents have responded to this change very positively, admitting that they were eating unhealthy foods just because they were put in front of them.
• Madecampusintegrationareality.Residentsfromindependentlivingnowenjoythe company of our assisted-living residents for Wii bowling, exercises, and other social events. And memory-care residents now participate in wellness programming outside of their neighborhoods.
• Increasedintergenerationalactivities,withresidentsinalllevelsofcareinteracting with Children’s Village students.
Perhaps the best example of the way our residents’ lives are changing for the better is
summed up in this simple comparison. Two years ago, the Lutheran Life Villages leadership
team could hear residents singing “The Wheels on the Bus” during Tuesday morning
leadership meetings. Today, during that same Tuesday meeting, we now hear the cadence
of the fitness instructor as she and our residents work out with bands, balls, and other
wellness equipment. Clearly, our residents are shifting their focus to health and wellness,
and their lives are richer because of it.
“It’s a blessing to be living here in a Christian atmosphere. And without the responsibilities of maintaining our own home, we can just enjoy life.”
— Paul and Dot NieterIndependent Living Residents
“Good friends, good food, wonderfulliving—that’s Lutheran Life Villages.”
— Ophelia WeitzmanIndependent Living Resident
A great place toWorkJust as we continue to make Lutheran Life Villages a great place to live, so we continue to make
it a place where professionals want to work. In fact, the two go hand in hand. This focus on
employee satisfaction leads to lower turnover and results in better care for our residents.
In the past two years, we’ve seen employee turnover change from 110 percent to a projected
34 percent for 2009. Here are just some of the ways we’ve continued to make Lutheran Life Villages
an employer of choice in the past year:
• Recognizedmorethan500positiveemployeeactsthroughournewWOW! (What Outstanding Work!) program that highlights outstanding performance
• Heldaseriesof“ListeningEvents”togetemployeefeedbackandadopted more than a dozen employee suggestions.
• OrganizedanEasteregghuntforthechildrenandgrandchildren of employees and for Children’s Village students. This event was sponsored byourEmployeeAppreciationTeam.
• HeldemployeedrawingsforfreeticketstoCrabfest’09.
• Continuedtoofferagenerous401(k)savingsplan.
• Implementedanimprovedemployeeperformancereviewprocess.
In addition, our wellness approach is producing some great results among our employees. Through
our Summer Fitness Challenge and our ongoing walking program, employees have lost weight and
lowered their blood pressure and body-fat percentages. We’ve continued to pair employees with
residents for our Wii bowling tournament, and we’ve recently started a “Don’t be a Stuffed Turkey”
program, an employee wellness program designed to encourage sensible eating and continued
exercise over the holidays.
Through all these improvements, we’ve made great strides toward making Lutheran Life Villages
an employer of choice, improving the lives of our residents in the process.
“Our residents are like members of our extended families. They share
their lives with us—the joy and the sorrow—and we share our
lives with them, too.”
— Marsha Harshman, R.N.
Staff Development CoordinatorKendallville
“My greatest reward is knowing that I work with
wonderful people, and together we’re making
a difference in the lives of our residents.”
— Sylvia Page, R.N.
Director of NursingFort Wayne
“Serving our residents is more than just a job. I’m part of something bigger than myself—I’m part of a legacy of helping people enjoy life to the fullest extent.”
— Bryan KellarExecutive Chef and ManagerIndependent Living Dining ServicesFort Wayne
“I don’t see my great-grand nieces and nephews often, so the kids at Children’s Village have become like family to me. They’re wonderful, and no two are alike.”
— Phyllis RabyAssisted Living Resident
Phyllis with Giovanni, a Children’s Village student.
A great place toVisitFinally, we continue to make Lutheran Life Villages a great place to visit. Take Heritage Trail, for
example. What other retirement community offers a scenic walkway — where a beautiful water
fountain welcomes visitors — in the midst of a busy city? Gardens, picnic areas, and a putting
green call to youth and seniors alike. Beautiful Heritage Trail gives residents and their families
a new way to experience Lutheran Life Villages as they enjoy family time together outdoors.
But that’s not all. Our fully equipped recreation room, complete with Wii sports, continues to
draw residents and their guests. For those who prefer a more relaxing form of entertainment,
the Weitzman Theater on our Fort Wayne campus offers a state-of-the-art viewing
experience. And music lovers of all ages are sure to enjoy a broad range of professional music
performances. Chaplain Dave Griebel orchestrates the monthly musical programs presented
inMemorialChapelinFortWayne,butthat’sjustthebeginning.Fromchurchchoirstobanjo
players, from programs presented by school children to a philharmonic concert, our residents
on both campuses enjoy a wide variety of musical programs that enhance their lives.
Moreimportant,however,LutheranLifeVillagesisagreatplacetovisitbecauseourfocus
is on life, not just care. Our wellness approach infuses our communities with a vibrancy
that newcomers notice and want to be around.
“I love doing projects with the kids at Children’s Village. But if you do something
for one, be prepared to do the same for everyone. That’s just part of the fun.”
— Bob TrueIndependent Living Resident
BobwithfriendsJamonnandEmma,Children’sVillagestudent.
“My time at Children’s Village is time well-spent.I love those little kids, and I feel as though I’m making a difference in their lives by giving them extra attention.”
— Alice FleckAssisted Living Resident
Alice with Trinity, a Children’s Village student.
Changing PerceptionsThrough all these changes, we’re moving away from traditional nursing home stereotypes and
creating an environment where people can come and thrive. It’s what will continue to set us apart
from other retirement-living communities in the years to come.
As we position ourselves for this kind of growth, we want our name and logo to reflect our true
identity: a premier retirement-living provider with a focus on life-enriching opportunities.
That’s why after much research, we chose a name — and a new look — that maximizes and enhances
that reputation. Our new identity — Lutheran Life Villages: A Better Way of Living — helps us
communicate all we are and hope to be in a community ready for a new era of care.
At a time when more and more people are reaching retirement age, the services we provide at
LutheranLifeVillageswillbecomemoreimportantthanever.Mostrecentlyretiredadultshavehigh
expectations and standards for their long-term retirement plans. These are needs and desires that
Lutheran Life Villages can readily fill. Where else are you going to find:
• Professionalmusicperformances
• Intergenerationalactivities
• Acertifiedfitnesscoach
• Activitiesbeyond“Bingo”
• Chef-prepareddiningatveryaffordableprices
All this — and all in one place!
“I’m so happy I came here to live. Everyone is so friendly, and my family has peace of mind—they
know I’m always safe and among friends.”
— Marjorie HaraderIndependent Living Resident
MarjoriewithAniyah,aChildren’sVillagestudent.
“Living at Lutheran Life Villages fits our needs perfectly. Members of the staff are very accommodating,
and the grounds are beautiful and well-maintained.”
— Walter HaydenIndependent Living Resident
REVENuE YEAR END 8/31/09 YEAR END 8/31/08
Gross Resident Services $21,975 $21,642
Benevolence Care -2,560 -2,616
Net Residents Services 19,415 19,025
Grants 337 345
Contributions 763 410
Investment Returns -821 -201
Other 775 742
TOTAL 20,469 20,320
ExPENSES
Wages and Benefits 14,876 14,566
Supplies, Food, Other 6,345 5,835
Depreciation and Amortization 1,578 1,395
Interest Expense and Related Fees 288 177
Provision for uncollectible accounts 338 205
Disposal of Property & Equipment 652 0
TOTAL 24,078 22,177
ASSETS
Cash & Short-Term Investments 2,076 4,116
Accounts Receivable 1,570 1,731
Property, Plant, and Equipment, net 15,283 16,073
Other assets 4,499 4,118
TOTAL 23,428 26,037
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Debt 5,254 4,521
Other Current Liabilities 2,826 2,482
Other Liabilities 2,145 2,221
Net Assets 13,204 16,813
TOTAL 23,428 26,037
2008—2009 Comparative Financial Results ($1,0 0 0 ’s)
An old Danish proverb says, “Age may wrinkle the face, but lack
of enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”
That proverb sums up the changeswe’re making at Lutheran Life Villages. Instead of wrinkled souls—regardless
of our age—we want newcomers to notice a vibrancy that springs from the way we
experience life to the fullest. In other words, we want our enthusiasm to shine.
Thank you for your efforts to do just that—
making both campuses of Lutheran Life Villages great places to live, work, and visit. Those wrinkles mentioned in the proverb?
Let’s make sure they’re laugh lines.