St. John Community Opens New Affordable Apartments

With the completion of St. John Community initiative, middle-income seniors now have an affordable, all-inclusive opportunity to live in a continuing care retirement community with all the amenities of home.

“It felt like home to me,” said Mary Ackerman who recently moved into The Residence at St. John from another community to be closer to her children and 11 grandchildren.

It has been a little more than a year since the first shovel broke ground to expand residential and personal care living options at the St. John Community. The project includes a new and modern personal care neighborhood—Edgewood Grove—built on a foundation of quality care. It also created 27 new residential living apartments —The Residence at St. John.

The Residence at St. John offers one-bedroom, independent living apartments equipped with a well-appointed kitchen, laundry, walk-in showers, and ample closet and storage spaces. Other amenities include a library, lounges, fitness room and chef-prepared meals for those who choose to dine out. The Residence at St. John is located in the quaint Borough of Mars with easy access to places of worship, shopping, restaurants, banks, pharmacies and more.

“I’m starting a new phase in my life,” said Ackerman.  “I don’t have to do housekeeping; there is no cooking, no food shopping. It’s great!”

The absence of housing for middle-income seniors prompted Lutheran SeniorLife to launch a new growth initiative. “As a result of the initiative, we successfully expanded our existing housing opportunities for those seeking residential living and personal care options,” said David Fenogiletto, president and CEO of Lutheran SeniorLife. “Our new apartments and supportive programs fill an unmet need in our community.”

One of the first residents to move into Edgewood Grove, personal care is 90-year-old, Alice Vogel, the grandmother of Samantha Rapuk, Executive Director of the St. John Community. “It’s a real blessing to have my grandma so close to me,” explained Rapuk. “We have such a close bond and I know she is being cared for by the best team.”

The St. John Community is a continuing care community, and includes The Residence of St. John and Overbrook Pointe, residential living; Edgewood Grove, personal care; RoseCrest, assisted living with memory care, and St. John Specialty Care, skilled nursing. To schedule a tour, call 724.625.1571, or to learn more about Lutheran SeniorLife, visit www.lutherseniorlife.org.