Perry Lutheran Homes to Add Nine, Private Skilled Suites at Willis Campus Location

Perry Lutheran Homes will be renovating and transforming nine, assisted living apartments back into private, skilled nursing suites at its Willis Campus location. This allows Perry Lutheran Homes to care for more Perry elders in need of a higher level of care and also those in need of rehabilitative therapy. Construction is set to begin this fall with a completion date of early next year.

These nine assisted living apartments at Willis Campus were originally skilled nursing suites; however, in 1999, they were repurposed for assisted living to help people enter into and stay in Perry Lutheran Homes’ continuum of care as their care needs progressed. With the acquisition of Spring Valley Retirement Community in 2013, the ability to serve those in need of independent and assisted living grew by 39 apartments.

“After nearly a year of prayerful consideration, we firmly believe that by serving all of those in need of independent and assisted living at our Spring Valley Campus will help us better provide an appropriate environment and focused level of service for all tenants. In turn, with Willis Campus returning back to a skilled nursing facility, we will be able to provide a higher level of focused care to those in need of rehabilitative therapy and long-term care,” states Max Phillips, CEO of Perry Lutheran Homes.

For those in need of rehabilitative therapy following illness, accident or surgery, the private suites will offer accommodations helpful for patient recovery with more home-like accommodations such as private, in-room showers.

“The mission of Perry Lutheran Homes is Serving Christ by Serving Others. Over the years, we’ve have had to turn away many people in need of skilled nursing care because of no private room availability. This forced tenants that lived at our Spring Valley Campus to leave our continuum of care that we promise as part of our Christian Caring Community. Soon, they will be able to seamlessly transition from their apartment at Spring Valley Campus to a private suite at Willis Campus as care needs progress. Although this will be a change for us all, we firmly believe that tenants, residents and families served will benefit greatly from this transition once complete,” said Melissa Gannon, COO and Administrator of Perry Lutheran Homes.

Assisted Living tenants that live at Willis Campus are making plans for transition to Spring Valley Campus and/or to another level of care at Willis Campus with the support of Perry Lutheran Homes’ staff. Many have taken tours and have expressed excitement over their soon-to-be apartment and friends they already know that live at Spring Valley Campus.

Once this project is complete, it is estimated that Perry Lutheran Homes will hire three additional staff members to join the other 125 team members that provide services and care for tenants and residents daily at both Willis campus and Spring Valley campus. Because Perry Lutheran Homes is locally owned and managed, and a large employer in the community, it is important that it continues to provide jobs that teach others to value and care for elder generations as well as bring positive economic impact to Perry.

Dates for a community open-house and ribbon cutting event will be announced as construction nears completion.

Perry Lutheran Homes, is your locally owned and managed, Christian Caring Community, serving Perry and surrounding communities for nearly 65 years. Perry Lutheran Homes offers innovative, intergenerational, Christ-centered care at two campuses in Perry, IA – Willis Campus and Spring Valley Retirement Campus. Services include independent and assisted living, three levels of progressive memory care, in-home care, respite care, skilled care, rehabilitative therapy, intermediate and long-term care, and end-of-life care.