United Church Homes: Celebrating the Spirit

September 14, 2014

Business View Magazine interviews Kenneth Daniel, President & CEO of United Church Homes, as part of our Best practices in Health Care series.

United Church Homes provides housing, healthcare with Christian values.

United Church Homes was founded in 1916, after Matthew and Jane Smith passed on 168 acres of farmland in Holland, Ohio, to the Toledo Classis of the German Reformed Church. Their aim was to create a fair haven for older adults, where their spirits would be celebrated.

“It was almost like it was a broad consensus that United Church Homes is different because of the spirit of our community,” says Kenneth Daniel, the company’s president and chief executive officer. “Our mission is to address the problems of loneliness, spiritual despair and isolation among the elderly. We do that by providing communities that are warm and welcoming and full of caring and accepting people.”

United Church Homes owns and manages long-term care and retirement communities throughout Ohio, as Celebrating the Spirit United Church Homes provides housing, healthcare with Christian values“Our mission is to address the problems of loneliness, spiritual despair and isolation among the elderly. We do that by providing communities that are warm and welcoming and full of caring and accepting people.” ~ Kenneth Danielwell as Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia.

Upon joining United Church Homes in 2011, Daniel discussed rebranding with staff, residents and family members. The “Celebrating the Spirit” theme that arose became a collective mindset.

“Community environment and atmosphere makes us stand out in the crowd,” Daniel said. “Our roots are in the United Church of Christ denomination, which has a long history of being a proponent of civil rights and social justice. We were one of the first to ordain women to the ministry and we have long been on the frontlines of marriage equality for same-gendered relationships.”

Each United Church Homes community features amenities, food, activities and a spirit of community.

“Our mission is to address the problems of loneliness, spiritual despair and isolation among the elderly. We do that by providing communities that are warm and welcoming and full of caring and accepting people.” – Kennth Daniel

“Our communities can meet a range of lifestyle and health needs,” Daniel said. “These are campuses that have inspired journeys of the spirit for residents and team members alike for nearly a century.

”Everyone at the organization is completely focused on the residents and well-being, too.

“The chaplains are very involved in the communities and provide spiritual care for any resident in need,” said Terry Quinn, director of quality assurance. “It’s really quite exciting when you go in and you can feel it.

”Staff is focused on establishing relationships through care and dedication. Workers want people to embrace what they do, and understand that values and community spirit help change the lives of residents. At an on-site family meeting, Daniel said, staff heard first-hand how rehab services helped a family recover from a horrific car accident.

“They had this terrible accident and the husband broke his neck in two places. Never did they expect for him to ever walk again, let alone leave the community,” he said. “She gave this glowing story about how she loves our community. She called her recovery a miracle. Those are the stories for me that potential volunteers and potential donors want to hear about. We have those happening around our system every day.

”United Church Homes sees opportunity to expand services, particularly in memory care. It will Daniel said, also take advantage of chances to expand management services to other owners, particularly to freestanding communities and nonprofit organizations in Ohio. It is also planning to grow through the acquisition of retirement communities looking for the backing of a larger company.

“As we expand our services in the residential and health care profession, we’re building on a rich commitment to personal and spiritual growth,” he said. “For nearly 100 years, we’ve been celebrating the spirit of older adults, of our team members and of our communities. In the decades to come, the celebration will continue.”

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