Lutheran Senior Services is expanding at Lutheran Hillside Village. The continuing-care retirement community on Galena Road has two new additions. One new building has 24 beds for short-term rehabilitation and the campus also has 24 new assisted living apartments.
Karen Larson is the Regional Vice President of Operations for Lutheran Senior Services. She says it’s an effort to expand and update services to better alignment with the Affordable Care Act.
“Two things are going on. The aging population, so there’s more people. And then this whole new payment system which is really driving really quality. So we used to pay for whatever services you got and now the government is saying ‘we’re only going to pay for services you need.”Larson says the subtle difference means more people are leaving the hospital sooner after surgery, still needing additional care as well as physical therapy.
The current short-term rehabilitation wing will be repurposed for long-term care. The $12 million renovation at Lutheran Hillside Village was unveiled with a dedication ceremony Tuesday.