WEBVTT 1 00:00:22.700 --> 00:00:26.400 Hello and welcome to Word and Work an Intersection. 2 00:00:26.400 --> 00:00:30.400 I'm your host Dale Mayer joining us is John Kotovsky. 3 00:00:30.400 --> 00:00:35.500 He is the chief executive officer for Lutheran Senior Services. 4 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:38.700 Welcome John and thanks for being here 5 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:42.600 we're so glad you're spending time with us at the Seminary. Dale 6 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:45.400 It's my pleasure and delight to be here you and tell you a little bit 7 00:00:45.400 --> 00:00:46.300 about LSS. 8 00:00:46.300 --> 00:00:50.500 Okay, before we get into all the nitty-gritty just give us an overview 9 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:51.600 of LSS. 10 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:57.400 Okay, Lutheran Senior Services is the 16th largest nonprofit in the 11 00:00:57.400 --> 00:00:59.200 United States providing senior living. 12 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:05.800 We were originally organized as a hospital by Reverend Johann Banger 13 00:01:05.800 --> 00:01:06.700 on December. 14 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:11.300 2nd 1858 as the first Protestant hospital west of the Mississippi 15 00:01:11.300 --> 00:01:11.700 River. 16 00:01:11.700 --> 00:01:16.600 So originally we focused on Healthcare Ministries as hospitals. 17 00:01:16.600 --> 00:01:22.700 And then in 1906 the Lutheran Home for the Aged was developed and 18 00:01:22.700 --> 00:01:26.600 really when Lutheran Hospital was sold in the early 1980s the focus 19 00:01:26.600 --> 00:01:30.200 then became on Senior Living. Great, great. 20 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:31.500 As a senior 21 00:01:31.500 --> 00:01:37.200 I'm going to be interested in all that you have to say. Before we get 22 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.100 into all the specifics the nitty-gritty of of your work and your 23 00:01:41.100 --> 00:01:44.800 mission because it is a mission just tell us about your background if 24 00:01:44.800 --> 00:01:45.700 you would. Okay, 25 00:01:45.700 --> 00:01:46.500 I'm a native St. 26 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:50.000 Louis and grew up in Webster Groves both my mother and father were 27 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:51.600 graduates of Webster Groves High School. 28 00:01:51.600 --> 00:01:55.700 So I'm a person that has lots of roots in the community. My father 29 00:01:55.700 --> 00:01:59.400 passed away at 17 and I'm the oldest of three children so that had a 30 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:03.000 very strong impact on my life and my connection with the church. 31 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:06.000 I'm a graduate of Washington University St. Louis. Yeah, so am I. 32 00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:09.690 Great school might be getting my career. 33 00:02:09.690 --> 00:02:11.700 I had a degree in accounting and finance. 34 00:02:11.700 --> 00:02:16.000 I was a CPA with Arthur Andersen for 6 years, and then I left there 35 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:19.700 and I was a Chief Financial Officer for the Sansone Group a real 36 00:02:19.700 --> 00:02:21.500 estate development company here in St. 37 00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:21.600 Louis. 38 00:02:21.600 --> 00:02:25.700 My wife likes to say I had a midlife crisis and felt a calling to 39 00:02:25.700 --> 00:02:26.300 serve the church. 40 00:02:26.300 --> 00:02:30.800 So I am a graduate of Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. 41 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:33.500 Normally, of course, it takes 4 years. 42 00:02:33.500 --> 00:02:37.400 It took me eight years to get through Seminary not because of slow but 43 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.200 I continue to work full-time and take my classes in the evening. 44 00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:43.200 So you have a financial side 45 00:02:44.200 --> 00:02:51.700 and a pastoral side which is a little bit unusual I assumed but but fit you well 46 00:02:51.700 --> 00:02:56.500 for the job that you have now. I know what I came to the Seminary as 47 00:02:56.500 --> 00:02:58.000 president 15 years ago. 48 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:01.700 One of the challenges was I had to learn more about the financial side. 49 00:03:01.700 --> 00:03:01.800 Yeah. 50 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:06.500 Fortunately we have people who give good guidance, but I can really 51 00:03:06.500 --> 00:03:10.300 appreciate how God God has gifted you. You mentioned your wife. 52 00:03:10.300 --> 00:03:11.600 Tell us about Elaine. 53 00:03:11.600 --> 00:03:12.700 How did you meet? 54 00:03:12.700 --> 00:03:15.700 How is she involved in your your life in Mission? 55 00:03:15.700 --> 00:03:18.700 But one of the interesting things Elaine's father was the Vice 56 00:03:18.700 --> 00:03:20.700 President of Operations at Lutheran Medical Center. 57 00:03:20.700 --> 00:03:25.500 So I'm have a lot of family connections with the history of Lutheran 58 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:28.100 Senior Services and its predecessor organization. 59 00:03:28.100 --> 00:03:33.700 But when I was 17 years old is I lived about a mile from Lutheran 60 00:03:33.700 --> 00:03:37.800 convalescent home and there was a major snow storm that hit St. 61 00:03:37.800 --> 00:03:41.100 Louis paralyzed the city. We had about a hundred and twenty residence 62 00:03:41.100 --> 00:03:43.900 there at the time and my Uncle Bob was a maintenance 63 00:03:44.100 --> 00:03:47.800 man in the plant operations department. 64 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:50.500 He called me up and said we only have two people in the kitchen. 65 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:51.800 We need some volunteers. 66 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:55.600 Could you possibly walk down here and help the people in the kitchen 67 00:03:55.600 --> 00:03:59.200 out and I must have done a good job because they offered me my first 68 00:03:59.200 --> 00:04:04.600 job ever. And partly back then is that everything was prepared in a 69 00:04:04.600 --> 00:04:07.700 centralized kitchen with put on carts and taken up to the resident 70 00:04:07.700 --> 00:04:08.100 floors. 71 00:04:08.100 --> 00:04:11.300 And as I was delivering the trays to 2 South 72 00:04:11.300 --> 00:04:14.900 I was rather Smitten by one of the young nurses aides 73 00:04:14.900 --> 00:04:19.800 that was Elaine. And I put a little note on her time card that night. 74 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:23.300 What are you doing tonight toots? 6 years later to it's became my 75 00:04:23.300 --> 00:04:29.200 wife and now we just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Wow, was that facility in 76 00:04:29.200 --> 00:04:33.200 Webster Groves? Yes, which was on LaClede Station Road. 77 00:04:33.200 --> 00:04:38.200 It's where you grew up? Yes, so just right down the street. And when I became 78 00:04:38.200 --> 00:04:42.300 the Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Senior Services, it was much 79 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:43.900 like coming home because my first 80 00:04:44.100 --> 00:04:47.200 office was about 200 ft from where I met my wife. 81 00:04:47.200 --> 00:04:54.600 So you say you've been married forty forty years and I assumed in in 82 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:55.800 her own way 83 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:59.200 she's involved in the ministry of LSS. Well at one time 84 00:04:59.200 --> 00:05:03.400 she was a volunteer at one of our communities as an activity director 85 00:05:03.400 --> 00:05:07.300 and they hired her on staff and she was helping activities; 86 00:05:07.300 --> 00:05:11.000 that's one of her passions was to work with older adults. But we felt 87 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.100 very much when I became CEO, we didn't want any conflicts of interest 88 00:05:15.100 --> 00:05:16.800 or perceptions of nepotism 89 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.700 so she stepped away from that. She does lots of volunteer work for 90 00:05:20.700 --> 00:05:23.400 other organizations like the Assistance League here in St. 91 00:05:23.400 --> 00:05:23.500 Louis. 92 00:05:23.500 --> 00:05:27.100 Well, that's certainly good for Lutheran Senior Services PR 93 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:28.500 wise no question about that. 94 00:05:28.500 --> 00:05:33.800 So you had that as your first job courtesy of Uncle Bob and 95 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:34.600 and then 96 00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:42.100 High School College what tugged you toward ministry? When my dad died when 97 00:05:42.100 --> 00:05:43.000 I was 17 98 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:46.400 it was really the church that wrap their arms around me in and helped 99 00:05:46.400 --> 00:05:47.000 support me. 100 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:49.600 I became very active in Luther League. 101 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:54.200 I served as a delegate for the Lutheran World Federation and Dar es 102 00:05:54.200 --> 00:05:54.800 Salaam Tanzania. 103 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:59.300 I was given the opportunity to speak many times on behalf of the 104 00:05:59.300 --> 00:06:02.900 church and be on behalf of the youth in the church, so I've always 105 00:06:02.900 --> 00:06:07.600 had a strong connection. But I felt a responsibility financially to 106 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:11.400 support and I was more attracted to that stability of the business 107 00:06:11.400 --> 00:06:15.300 career. But God was always still calling me back to volunteer in the 108 00:06:15.300 --> 00:06:19.500 church and be involved and certain things happened in my life that put 109 00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:24.200 me in a position that I could look at Ministry as a full-time calling. 110 00:06:24.200 --> 00:06:26.300 When you graduated from Lutheran School of Theology. 111 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:29.000 What did you do then? 112 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:29.500 Okay. 113 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:34.000 I I served as a teaching pastor and pastor of administration of 114 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:38.900 Community Church of Joy in Phoenix Arizona. Joy at the time had 11.000 115 00:06:38.900 --> 00:06:39.300 members. 116 00:06:39.300 --> 00:06:45.800 We use to worship between 3500 and 4000 a weekend. For Christmas Eve 117 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:46.200 and Easter 118 00:06:46.200 --> 00:06:50.400 we would worship over 11.000 people. And the neat thing about the joys 119 00:06:50.400 --> 00:06:54.600 story is over 65% of the people that went to Joy had never gone to 120 00:06:54.600 --> 00:06:58.400 church before. So we were one of those churches for the unchurched and 121 00:06:58.400 --> 00:07:03.600 it was just an exciting vibrant environment and they were developing a 122 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:08.000 200 acre campus for Christian Outreach and I'm one of the few CPAs 123 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.400 with real estate development experience that is also an ordained 124 00:07:11.400 --> 00:07:17.100 Lutheran pastor. So that was a great set and then Lutheran Senior Services somehow approached, 125 00:07:17.100 --> 00:07:22.500 you? No, not at all is for some family reasons again my dad died when 126 00:07:22.500 --> 00:07:25.500 I was 17, my mom needed some additional help. 127 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:27.300 So we relocated back to St. 128 00:07:27.300 --> 00:07:27.500 Louis. 129 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:31.700 and I was Chief Executive Officer of the Koch development company for 130 00:07:31.700 --> 00:07:32.000 six years. 131 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.400 I was on the board of directors of Lutheran Senior Services for four 132 00:07:36.400 --> 00:07:40.900 years when my predecessor Karl Rausch retired and the board asked me 133 00:07:40.900 --> 00:07:44.700 if I would assume that mantle of leadership at LSS. So already by 134 00:07:44.700 --> 00:07:52.500 that time when you became the CEO at LSS had a storied career. No 135 00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:54.200 I was very blessed Dale. Okay. 136 00:07:54.200 --> 00:07:57.000 I'm talking to a minister. 137 00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:59.300 Okay. 138 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:05.100 I mean that that that is quite a portfolio experiences that you had. 139 00:08:05.100 --> 00:08:11.300 So now you're at LSS has when did that start? 2007. 2007, right before 140 00:08:11.300 --> 00:08:15.600 the recession. Right before the recession and I will tell you there was 141 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:21.400 some scary times in 2008 2009 the six largest drops until yesterday in 142 00:08:21.400 --> 00:08:26.800 the Dow Jones Industrial Average took place in October of 2008. 143 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:27.800 So it really 144 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:33.100 caused us to look at ourselves and in to access what are the things 145 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:36.290 that we needed to do whatever the things that we needed to cut and 146 00:08:36.290 --> 00:08:38.200 that we pride ourselves and being good stewards. 147 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:41.900 What were we going to do to be good stewards to preserve the mission 148 00:08:41.900 --> 00:08:45.100 so the mission could carry on. Concordia Seminary is a much smaller 149 00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:48.800 operation than Lutheran Senior Services, but we went through the same 150 00:08:48.800 --> 00:08:49.000 thing. 151 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:55.500 We cut 23% out of our budget but that but that was a blessing in 152 00:08:55.500 --> 00:08:56.100 hindsight. 153 00:08:56.100 --> 00:08:59.700 I'm sure you didn't enjoy going through to know that time? No not at all. 154 00:08:59.700 --> 00:09:03.300 But but it was a blessing in hindsight. So tell us about Lutheran 155 00:09:03.300 --> 00:09:04.600 Senior Services. 156 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:10.500 You mentioned it at the top of the of the program but it is so vast 157 00:09:10.500 --> 00:09:13.400 that could you talk us through that again please. 158 00:09:13.400 --> 00:09:17.400 Okay everything for us starts with our Christian Mission of older 159 00:09:17.400 --> 00:09:20.400 adults living life to the fullest. From John 10:10, 160 00:09:20.400 --> 00:09:24.600 Jesus came not to just give us life, but life in all of its abundance. 161 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:27.700 So for us when we help older adults 162 00:09:27.800 --> 00:09:33.700 maximize their potential physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and 163 00:09:33.700 --> 00:09:37.300 spiritually. Isn't that what living life to the fullest is all about? 164 00:09:37.300 --> 00:09:41.600 Everything emanates out of that in our Christian core values. 165 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:44.700 We don't exist for a cell's we exist for the people that we serve. 166 00:09:44.700 --> 00:09:50.000 So our focus is on older adults. Is that we have grown. 167 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.600 We have 21 communities and Missouri and Illinois 10 of those 168 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:58.300 communities are what we call the Life Plan communities that offer the 169 00:09:58.300 --> 00:10:02.000 full continuum of care from Independent Living to assisted living 170 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:06.700 assisted living memory care, and then ultimately skilled nursing. We 171 00:10:06.700 --> 00:10:11.100 have about 4700 residents that live in those communities. 172 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:17.200 We also have an affordable housing division that have 800 older adults 173 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:22.200 that have an average income of 12 to $14.000 a year because we believe 174 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:26.500 we have a responsibility to serve a cross-section of economic ability 175 00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:27.400 to older adults. 176 00:10:27.700 --> 00:10:33.000 So affordable housing about 800 people? 800 people. And that is 177 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:36.800 basically Independent Living? It's all independent living there is 178 00:10:36.800 --> 00:10:40.900 support services, but there's not the health-care component that takes 179 00:10:40.900 --> 00:10:46.500 place in life plan communities. And and and and you proudly carry the 180 00:10:46.500 --> 00:10:48.200 name Lutheran. Very much 181 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:52.700 so. Could you talk about that what that means for your day-to-day 182 00:10:52.700 --> 00:10:59.500 operations and philosophy? Is that when I became CEO, we had a brand 183 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:02.800 awareness person come in and gave us some recommendations. 184 00:11:02.800 --> 00:11:06.100 We we changed our colors to be more vibrant. 185 00:11:06.100 --> 00:11:11.400 We changed our logo significantly and one of the first recommendations 186 00:11:11.400 --> 00:11:15.700 was to take Lutheran out of our name. And I said that is something we 187 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:19.100 are not going to do because we have been at the time here over a 188 00:11:19.100 --> 00:11:20.300 hundred fifty years. 189 00:11:20.300 --> 00:11:25.500 Our Lutheran Heritage is important to us or Christian Mission of 190 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:27.700 staying focused and I believe that's how God 191 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:30.300 Is blessed and prospered this organization. 192 00:11:30.300 --> 00:11:33.400 So we are not going to forsake our Lutheran roots. 193 00:11:33.400 --> 00:11:36.500 We are not an evangelism organization. 194 00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:38.100 We're in the service business. 195 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:42.300 And even though Lutheran is in our name only about 25% of our 196 00:11:42.300 --> 00:11:43.900 residents are Lutheran. 197 00:11:43.900 --> 00:11:48.000 So we are open to all people whether they have faith or not. 198 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.100 And if they come to Faith through our pastoral care our programs 199 00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:57.700 hallelujah, but we serve all as Christ would serve them. You know I've 200 00:11:57.700 --> 00:12:02.700 heard people talk about pre evangelism and in all my years of studying 201 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:03.000 the Bible 202 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:05.200 I've never found three evangelism in the Bible. 203 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:12.300 What I do find is love. Yeah. Selfless love where you as Jesus did get 204 00:12:12.300 --> 00:12:15.200 down and wash the feet of people take take care of that. 205 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:16.400 So so that's great. 206 00:12:16.400 --> 00:12:22.900 I would guess that because of the demographics of your population 207 00:12:22.900 --> 00:12:27.400 a lot of people do get to know Jesus who didn't know him before they 208 00:12:27.400 --> 00:12:27.500 came to 209 00:12:27.700 --> 00:12:33.600 LSS. We have 18 chaplains under call that provide the pastoral care 210 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.600 for our residents. And I will tell you those chaplains when they get to 211 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:39.200 baptize an older adult 212 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:43.400 it is one of the great joys of their Ministry. And I'm sure the 213 00:12:43.400 --> 00:12:49.200 community of their friends gather gather around for that. Do you offer 214 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:54.100 outpatient rehabilitation services? 215 00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:55.000 Yes, we do. 216 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:59.500 We have a program that we have branded called Reach and many older 217 00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:02.200 adults that have had hip replacement knee replacement 218 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:06.000 maybe you have had a heart attack or not ready to immediately return 219 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:08.800 after their hospitalization to their home. 220 00:13:08.800 --> 00:13:13.700 They can come to Lutheran Senior Services and we have all the therapy 221 00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:14.700 and services 222 00:13:14.700 --> 00:13:18.400 they need to regain their strength and get back on their feet so that 223 00:13:18.400 --> 00:13:22.400 they can return to their Independent Living setting. And is that 224 00:13:22.400 --> 00:13:26.500 located in some of your 21 locations? 225 00:13:26.500 --> 00:13:30.500 It's only in our life plan Community so in 10 of our locations we have 226 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:34.200 that. Okay, but it's convenient to people throughout the metropolitan 227 00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:34.400 area. 228 00:13:34.400 --> 00:13:38.500 Absolutely and one of the things that I can say is we take very 229 00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:42.800 seriously quality and the quality metrics for our Reach 230 00:13:42.800 --> 00:13:43.400 Short-term 231 00:13:43.400 --> 00:13:46.800 stay program are among the best in the markets 232 00:13:46.800 --> 00:13:50.500 we serve. Talk about the accreditation or whatever 233 00:13:50.500 --> 00:13:54.600 the proper term is in seminaries and universities. 234 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:59.700 We have accreditation concerns to talk about how that works for you 235 00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:06.000 over against I presume it's the government? I have heard it said that 236 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:11.500 the senior living industry in healthcare is the second most regulated 237 00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:17.300 industry behind nuclear power plants. Is that it is unbelievable what 238 00:14:17.300 --> 00:14:22.100 we have to deal with it with an organization to make sure that we are 239 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:24.200 inspected by surveyors once a year. 240 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:28.000 They can write us up for any deficiencies that we have. 241 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:30.500 Sometimes there's fines related to those things. 242 00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:32.600 Sometimes they suspend payments. 243 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:37.500 So we are very much of a regulated industry of someone watching over 244 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:43.000 our shoulders to make sure that we have high-quality. CMS is the center 245 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:44.700 for Medicare and Medicaid. 246 00:14:44.700 --> 00:14:49.700 They have a 5-star rating system that they look at Health Care Centers. 247 00:14:49.700 --> 00:14:50.500 And of 248 00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:58.900 our 10 care centers our average rating is 4.4% There are very few 249 00:14:58.900 --> 00:15:03.100 providers that have those kinds of rating and we have the majority of 250 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:05.600 our care centers are all 5 Stars, 251 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:08.900 so we're very proud of that. And you should be 252 00:15:08.900 --> 00:15:10.200 It doesn't happen overnight. 253 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:13.600 It's a it's a it's a culture of an organization. 254 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:17.300 The federal government 255 00:15:17.300 --> 00:15:22.800 I'm sure you have state and County and city regulations 256 00:15:22.800 --> 00:15:28.300 In addition to the evaluations that you just talked about it. And 257 00:15:28.300 --> 00:15:32.400 it adds to cost because we have to do things that we might not have 258 00:15:32.400 --> 00:15:36.100 done on our own and it restricts one of the great challenges in our 259 00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:36.400 industry 260 00:15:36.400 --> 00:15:43.600 today is workforce. Is that there is an age tsunami coming is the first 261 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:50.200 baby boomer turned age 65 January one of 2011 at the rate of 10000 a day 262 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.800 when every 7 seconds. OK, Boomer. That's you Dale. 263 00:15:53.800 --> 00:15:56.200 I'm not far behind you 264 00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:02.800 by the way. You're better preserved John. You're very kind. Is that the average age in our 265 00:16:02.800 --> 00:16:03.900 communities and this might surprise 266 00:16:03.900 --> 00:16:06.600 some people is 85 years of age. 267 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:08.700 It used to be 20 years ago 268 00:16:08.700 --> 00:16:12.300 people would enter independent living in retirement communities like 269 00:16:12.300 --> 00:16:14.400 we do like Laclede Groves, Meramec Bluffs at 270 00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:21.500 around 67, 68 maybe 70 years of age. Now people begin to enter because people 271 00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:25.200 are living longer more healthy at 75 to 80. 272 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:30.800 So I'm I'm 73 and just now retiring. We should begin to think about it 273 00:16:30.800 --> 00:16:39.000 maybe. You have a seminary president's suite? We don't have anything in 274 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:41.500 Florida, but I'm sure that we could work something out. 275 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:45.800 One of the great blessings that we have Dale is we have so many 276 00:16:45.800 --> 00:16:51.200 retired pastors and parochial Christian School teachers that live in 277 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:55.400 our community and because it's in their DNA, they don't stop being 278 00:16:55.400 --> 00:17:00.700 caregivers once they retire and they support the community. 279 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:04.000 We have a wonderful Stephen's Ministry program at Laclede Groves that 280 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.900 the residence run its residents caring for one another 281 00:17:08.090 --> 00:17:10.590 Diane and I are members of Holy Cross Collinsville. 282 00:17:10.590 --> 00:17:16.200 And and we have a number of members who live in your facilities in 283 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:17.700 Meridian Village 284 00:17:17.700 --> 00:17:22.000 and then we have a couple that is in Laclede Station and it's 285 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.090 wonderful when they talk about getting together with their friends. 286 00:17:25.090 --> 00:17:26.500 It happened to be pastors 287 00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:28.800 you have professors and retired. 288 00:17:28.800 --> 00:17:29.000 Yeah. 289 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.100 Yeah that that that's just great. 290 00:17:31.100 --> 00:17:38.500 I call them recycled teenagers by the way. What a blessing. How many employees do you 291 00:17:38.500 --> 00:17:38.600 have? 292 00:17:38.600 --> 00:17:42.900 We have thirty-four hundred employees. And a good number of those are 293 00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:47.400 looking at the oversight of of government and the various other 294 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:47.900 entities. 295 00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:51.000 So you have a core dedicated to that. 296 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:55.300 We have a Clinical Services Department that really is responsible for 297 00:17:55.300 --> 00:18:00.400 overseeing the training of our nursing staff or CNA certified 298 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:04.800 nurse assistants to make sure that we are always raising the bar on 299 00:18:04.800 --> 00:18:07.700 the quality of services rendered. Everything that you're talkin about 300 00:18:08.100 --> 00:18:09.500 suggest to meet culture. 301 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:14.600 I'm I'm very sensitive here at the Seminary to the culture that we 302 00:18:14.600 --> 00:18:17.800 have culture is something, you know, you can read By laws 303 00:18:17.800 --> 00:18:19.200 you can read publicity 304 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:21.900 that's not necessarily the same thing. 305 00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:25.600 You you walk into a place and you actually get a sense of how it is. 306 00:18:25.600 --> 00:18:29.900 When you talk about the culture at Lutheran Senior Services and all 307 00:18:29.900 --> 00:18:35.800 those 3400 employees and how many residents? We talk about the 308 00:18:35.800 --> 00:18:40.200 LSS experience is we know that there's something different about our 309 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:44.400 communities than a lot of our competition. We believe that it believe begins 310 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:50.300 with our faith inspired christian core value. Is that we have people 311 00:18:50.300 --> 00:18:53.900 that feel a calling to serve older adults that are working in our 312 00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:58.200 community and not only are they getting their livelihood to put food 313 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:01.800 on the table, but they have fulfillment out of what they're doing. 314 00:19:01.800 --> 00:19:07.100 What is most important to me is that I know that I have inherited 315 00:19:07.100 --> 00:19:08.000 something 316 00:19:08.100 --> 00:19:11.300 that's been passed on by servant hearted men and women that I'm standing 317 00:19:11.300 --> 00:19:14.800 on the shoulders up of generations that have gone before me. 318 00:19:14.800 --> 00:19:18.900 I have to receive that inheritance and make sure that that inheritance 319 00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:20.700 is passed on to the next generation. 320 00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:26.000 So everything about her Christian core values everything about who we 321 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.200 are and why we've been around for a hundred sixty years. 322 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:33.000 We want to keep that in place for the next hundred sixty years. 323 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:37.400 I know the feeling it in my own situation looking at the history of 324 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:40.100 Concordia Seminary 181 years. 325 00:19:40.100 --> 00:19:41.200 Wow. 326 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:45.600 It's been put on my shoulders and I was going to be put on the 327 00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:49.500 shoulders of another and isn't it humbling? It is very humbling. 328 00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:50.200 Is it and humbling? 329 00:19:51.100 --> 00:19:55.500 We're going to take a break, but first tell us where we can learn more 330 00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:59.400 about LSS because there's so much information here working working at 331 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:03.700 audience member go we have an incredible website. 332 00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:11.800 It is at www lssliving.org all the information you want to find can be 333 00:20:11.800 --> 00:20:14.500 found there. Lssliving we will get that again. 334 00:20:14.500 --> 00:20:19.500 This has been a great first segment and we're going to learn more from 335 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:21.100 Reverend Kotovsky. 336 00:20:22.100 --> 00:20:24.400 Now break stay with us. 337 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:29.700 Make a difference in the world become a church worker or encourage 338 00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:33.500 someone you know who has these skills call Concordia Seminary 339 00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:41.600 admissions at 800-822-9545 or email admission at CSL. 340 00:20:41.600 --> 00:20:42.400 Edu. 341 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:49.600 That's 800-822-9545 Concordia Seminary can make a difference in your 342 00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:50.200 world. 343 00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:53.700 Welcome back to Word and Work an Intersection. 344 00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:56.100 I'm your host Dale Meyer today. 345 00:20:56.100 --> 00:20:58.700 Our guest is John Kotovski. 346 00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:02.800 He is Chief Executive Officer for Lutheran Senior Services. 347 00:21:02.800 --> 00:21:08.100 If our audience to see any more information, give us that website 348 00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:15.300 again, okay or website is www.lssliving.org. 349 00:21:15.300 --> 00:21:16.800 Great. 350 00:21:16.800 --> 00:21:18.900 You have 21 facilities. 351 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:23.500 Let's get into the some of the specific offerings you have. I 352 00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:29.000 understand that you have aging answers. Sounds like something I need to 353 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:35.800 know. The reality is it is that many boomers are having to take care of 354 00:21:35.800 --> 00:21:40.000 their aging parents and you don't know what resources are available 355 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.000 you don't know what your options are. 356 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:47.300 You yourself made be encountering healthcare issues with your aging 357 00:21:47.300 --> 00:21:50.400 spouse. Aging Answers is meant to be a resource 358 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:54.300 that people can call in on an 800 line you can get the number 359 00:21:54.300 --> 00:22:00.300 at the LSS website and you can talk to a person that is educated and 360 00:22:00.300 --> 00:22:05.200 knows what resources are available whether LSS can provide them or 361 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:09.800 what are the other resources in the community. And it helps people know 362 00:22:09.800 --> 00:22:13.500 that they have a trusted partner that can give them council. Well 363 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:18.300 that's all valuable and I didn't know about aging answers. My 364 00:22:18.300 --> 00:22:23.700 mother is alive and well at 93 almost 94 years old and she's up and 365 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:27.900 about in fact, she's in Florida now has as we're doing this program. 366 00:22:27.900 --> 00:22:32.900 But if the time would come, you know, I wouldn't know where to go. 367 00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:36.700 Now you wouldn't went over and usually what happens Dale is a health 368 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:42.000 event precipitates need so many people aren't able to do the planning 369 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:46.000 that they need to do about their retirement living there forced into a 370 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:50.000 situation that they may be fell and broke their hip and they no longer 371 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:50.400 have 372 00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:55.800 mobility that they used to and I don't know where to go. Let's say that 373 00:22:55.800 --> 00:23:04.700 something happens to me and my daughters can't afford to put me in a 374 00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:08.500 place in and I perhaps did not make provision for care. 375 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:14.600 Do you do any charitable work? I came in 2007 to Lutheran Senior 376 00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:20.000 Services and our Charity Care at the time was 2.8 million dollars for 377 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:25.900 2019 our charity care was over 11 million dollars. Say that again. Our 378 00:23:25.900 --> 00:23:32.200 charity care in 2019 with over 11 million dollars. From under 3 million 379 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:34.300 dollars. When I started 12 years ago. 380 00:23:34.300 --> 00:23:41.400 Wow. It's pretty scary and we're just out living their resources and 381 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:44.400 as a Christian organization, we believe that we have a responsibility 382 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:48.700 to care for those that can't care for themselves. Now 383 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:50.500 I can't give older adults that move 384 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:54.300 into our communities and absolute guarantee that if they ever run 385 00:23:54.300 --> 00:23:58.000 out of money that we wouldn't ask them to leave because we have over 386 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:02.200 5.000 residents that we have to care for. But I can tell you in the 387 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:06.300 12 years that I've been without LSS we've not had a single person that 388 00:24:06.300 --> 00:24:09.700 has run out of money that we've ever asked to leave our communities. 389 00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:13.800 There are many for-profit organizations out there that have entered 390 00:24:13.800 --> 00:24:19.000 senior living there standalone assisted living communities people want 391 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:21.900 to ask the question when they're looking at a place like that for 392 00:24:21.900 --> 00:24:25.900 their parents or grandparents is what happens if they run out of money 393 00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:29.500 because I will tell you the for profits don't have charity care 394 00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:33.800 they say there's the door. Lutheran Senior Services believes we have a 395 00:24:33.800 --> 00:24:37.800 responsibility to take care of those older adults that God has 396 00:24:37.800 --> 00:24:43.000 entrusted to us so it's the heart of the organization to provide that 397 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:46.300 kind of Charity Care. Just going back to the faith basis of the of the 398 00:24:46.300 --> 00:24:50.400 organization during our break you were talking about LSS as a 399 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:53.100 spectacular story of Loaves and Fishes. 400 00:24:53.100 --> 00:24:54.900 Will you play that out for us? 401 00:24:54.900 --> 00:25:02.400 Okay, in the early 1980s Lutheran Medical Center was going to be 402 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:04.300 bankrupt within five years. 403 00:25:04.300 --> 00:25:07.190 They had stayed committed to the city of st. 404 00:25:07.190 --> 00:25:10.100 Louis in an area that was changing. Where talking about old Lutheran 405 00:25:10.100 --> 00:25:14.000 Hospital. Lutheran Hospital. Where I worked as an orderly. Your kidding. 406 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:20.700 In 1969 when I came to the Seminary I worked two nights a week in 407 00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:27.400 Central Supply as an orderly and and my job was to deliver Gomco 408 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:31.500 machines and whatever they might need and to pick up. Dead bodies. 409 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:38.400 That's what I did which was a good experience for me to get into the 410 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:39.200 ministry. 411 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:42.900 So I just make sure that we were talking about the old Lutheran 412 00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:45.400 Hospital down near Concordia Publishing House, 413 00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:46.400 Holy Cross. 414 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:51.900 Lutheran Church. As many of the other City hospitals relocated to St. 415 00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:56.200 Louis County where the private-pay market was at and Lutheran Medical 416 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:59.900 Center stayed committed to the mission in that area that neighborhood 417 00:25:59.900 --> 00:26:04.000 changed and they were losing substantial amounts of money. 418 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:08.900 The visionary members of that board of directors took a risk to sell 419 00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:10.300 Lutheran Medical Center. 420 00:26:10.300 --> 00:26:16.500 It was sold for 32 to 34 million dollars and you and I sometimes get 421 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:17.800 concerned about scarcity. 422 00:26:17.800 --> 00:26:19.200 We never have enough. 423 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:24.500 Our God is a god of abundance and blessing and multiplies resources. 424 00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:30.300 So from that sale of a failing hospital God has blessed and prospered to 425 00:26:30.300 --> 00:26:32.800 organizations the Lutheran Foundation of 426 00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:33.200 St. 427 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:38.000 Louis which has given away over 100 million dollars in the past 30 428 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:42.100 plus years to make our community a better place. And they have blessed 429 00:26:42.100 --> 00:26:45.200 Concordia Seminary. And blessed Concordia Seminary. Lutheran Foundation 430 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:45.900 of St. 431 00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:48.400 Louis. And Lutheran Senior Services 432 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.500 just since 1995 433 00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:54.600 we've given away over a hundred million dollars of charity care. 434 00:26:54.600 --> 00:26:59.700 So there is two hundred million dollars of benefit from the sale of 435 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.300 that hospital. 436 00:27:00.300 --> 00:27:05.000 And on top of it Lutheran Senior Services is again the 16th largest 437 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:09.000 nonprofit in the United States providing Senior Living. I would 438 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:13.300 propose to you and others that I could never dream that big. 439 00:27:13.300 --> 00:27:17.700 But our God is a god of abundance and is the best loaves of bread and 440 00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:21.900 fish story that I know. When was the Lutheran Hospital sold? In the 441 00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:24.500 early 1980s. Because I remember 442 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:31.100 all the talk. There was controversy about it. Yeah, sell the Lutheran Hospital. 443 00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:38.300 But now in hindsight just as you said a wise visionary board and a God 444 00:27:38.300 --> 00:27:42.000 out of abundance really, really, really blessed it. 445 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:44.600 That's Romans 8:28 in practice. 446 00:27:44.600 --> 00:27:51.600 I've read some authors who say that we Christians as best we leaders 447 00:27:51.600 --> 00:27:55.700 are sometimes of functioning atheist because we think we've got to do 448 00:27:55.700 --> 00:28:00.000 it on our own will this is a demonstration that that God guides. 449 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:06.300 Absolutely. How about volunteerism if if if there somebody in the 450 00:28:06.300 --> 00:28:10.200 broadcast area who thought man, that's wonderful. 451 00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:12.500 Do you have room for volunteers? 452 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.800 Absolutely, 453 00:28:13.800 --> 00:28:19.900 we have almost 8.000 volunteers every year that are providing us with 454 00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:21.600 80.000 455 00:28:22.100 --> 00:28:26.500 volunteer hours. They help us fulfill our Christian Mission of serving 456 00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:30.100 older adults in so many different areas that we are blessed and we 457 00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:31.900 have a volunteer coordinators. 458 00:28:31.900 --> 00:28:37.800 We would love to get the community more connected to Lutheran Senior 459 00:28:37.800 --> 00:28:41.700 Services communities. We are owned by 105 Lutheran Churches. 460 00:28:41.700 --> 00:28:44.900 We believe we have a responsibility to have a connection with those 461 00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:50.300 churches and just also we don't need volunteers from the community our 462 00:28:50.300 --> 00:28:53.300 older adults have not been put out to pasture. 463 00:28:53.300 --> 00:28:57.600 They are very gifted and they would love to give back and volunteer 464 00:28:57.600 --> 00:29:02.800 back in our congregations too. My father-in-law who has since passed on 465 00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:09.600 spent many years is as a volunteer at Elmhurst community hospital and 466 00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:14.800 he loved it and they they looked him what a great opportunity. Can a 467 00:29:14.800 --> 00:29:18.200 person explore this through your website? Yeah, 468 00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:21.700 there's a connection on the website in the home office is located here 469 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:22.100 in St. 470 00:29:22.100 --> 00:29:26.800 Louis there will be a connection that you can apply online or if you feel 471 00:29:26.800 --> 00:29:28.900 uncomfortable with doing it online 472 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:32.090 there's a phone number for you to call and we will connect you with 473 00:29:32.090 --> 00:29:35.600 the appropriate person or whatever your passion is so that you can 474 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:38.100 volunteer and make a difference in the lives of older adults. 475 00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:39.400 That's wonderful. 476 00:29:39.400 --> 00:29:40.500 Do you have young people who volunteer? 477 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:45.200 Absolutely, we have great connections with Lutheran parochial schools 478 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:46.700 and Lutheran High School's. 479 00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:53.300 I didn't know that but as the grandparent of five boys three of 480 00:29:53.300 --> 00:30:00.300 them local what a wonderful way of a young person to start to 481 00:30:00.300 --> 00:30:03.600 understand what the ministry of service is all about. 482 00:30:04.600 --> 00:30:05.300 Thank you. 483 00:30:05.300 --> 00:30:05.600 You've 484 00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:08.000 got so much that your offer. 485 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:12.700 Okay, would you talk about Independent Living? 486 00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:17.600 Okay is we are not just in the healthcare industry where in the 487 00:30:17.600 --> 00:30:22.900 hospitality industry. Do you have a cruise ship? No we don't have a cruise ship 488 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:26.100 although some of our older adults will say it's like cruise ship 489 00:30:26.100 --> 00:30:33.400 living. But Independent Living is for those planners that are preparing 490 00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:37.000 and don't want their children to worry about them about what are we 491 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:38.000 going to do with the house? 492 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:42.600 What are we going to do with all the possessions and downsizing is we 493 00:30:42.600 --> 00:30:48.200 have over 2.000 older adults that move into our communities and 494 00:30:48.200 --> 00:30:51.500 independent living it could be an apartment 1 to 3 bedrooms. 495 00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:56.300 It could be a patio home and they have fully functioning kitchens. 496 00:30:56.300 --> 00:30:58.000 They have their living room. 497 00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:59.000 They have their bedrooms. 498 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:03.500 They have their washers and dryers they can live totally there, but 499 00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.100 then we provide 500 00:31:04.600 --> 00:31:09.100 amenities for them socialization of older adults is incredibly 501 00:31:09.100 --> 00:31:09.700 important. 502 00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:13.400 So they have access to our Wellness facilities. 503 00:31:13.400 --> 00:31:15.000 We have pools in our community. 504 00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:20.800 We have areas for classes are taught on wellness and exercise. 505 00:31:20.800 --> 00:31:26.200 We have craft studios, LaClede Groves as a wonderful pottery barn where 506 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:29.000 older adults are able to do Pottery exercises. 507 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:30.300 We have classes. 508 00:31:30.300 --> 00:31:31.600 We have all kinds of opportunities. 509 00:31:31.600 --> 00:31:36.400 Plus there's a meal plan that we were in the day of options that used 510 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:38.800 to be you would just have one dining room one menu. 511 00:31:38.800 --> 00:31:40.900 Now we have dining rooms. 512 00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:43.800 We have private dining we have bistros. 513 00:31:43.800 --> 00:31:44.800 We have take homes. 514 00:31:44.800 --> 00:31:48.400 We have all kinds of things that are part of your monthly service fee 515 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:51.700 that are able to keep you independent and enjoying life. 516 00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:56.000 I presume there's a waiting list to get into these kind of independent 517 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:58.600 living homes. In some communities 518 00:31:58.600 --> 00:32:01.600 there are in some communities there not. 519 00:32:01.600 --> 00:32:04.600 It is some people we have a waiting list and the priority 520 00:32:04.600 --> 00:32:09.200 is based upon when you applied so one of the encouragements I give 521 00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:10.800 anyone put your name on the list. 522 00:32:10.800 --> 00:32:11.500 You talking to me? 523 00:32:11.500 --> 00:32:15.000 Yes, we got that presidential suite ready for you. 524 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:18.500 But what happens is when we have a unit become available 525 00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:22.500 it might not be the unit you want you may want a three-bedroom 526 00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:26.100 apartment in the unit that became available is only two bedrooms. 527 00:32:26.100 --> 00:32:29.600 So we then go to the next person on the list the next person on the 528 00:32:29.600 --> 00:32:33.400 list and sometimes you may say well I'm not quite ready yet. 529 00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:35.800 I'll be ready next year not today. 530 00:32:35.800 --> 00:32:36.900 So my encouragement 531 00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:40.500 if you get on the list, then you have an option. So a couple moves into 532 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:46.700 an independent living facility and I presume as time passes assisted 533 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:48.900 care is available for them. 534 00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:55.700 Yes, the beauty of Life Plan Community assist many couples do not age 535 00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:56.400 at the same rate. 536 00:32:56.400 --> 00:33:00.600 Sometimes maybe your your husband might be 10 years older than you and 537 00:33:00.600 --> 00:33:04.500 may need additional care then you can't provide any 538 00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:10.300 longer. So assisted living is the next step assisted living is all in a 539 00:33:10.300 --> 00:33:11.000 connected building. 540 00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:15.700 So it's not like you have to get in a car and go see your husband when 541 00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:18.900 you want to have a meal with them or you want to spend time with them. 542 00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:20.700 It's in a connected facility 543 00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:24.700 there's common areas where Independent Living residents can come with 544 00:33:24.700 --> 00:33:29.300 Assisted Living residents with skilled nursing residence and those 545 00:33:29.300 --> 00:33:32.400 amenities of the community are available to all of them. 546 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:39.200 So a lot of it is based upon the needs of the couple that the spouse 547 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:42.500 that is still able to remain independent still has their apartment 548 00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:46.700 still has their patio home but is able to make it easier on their 549 00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:50.200 relationship and their family and friends coming to visit all in one 550 00:33:50.200 --> 00:33:50.500 place. 551 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:55.700 I know a number of people who pastors among others who have 552 00:33:55.700 --> 00:33:59.600 experienced that that one member has to have help other than the other 553 00:33:59.600 --> 00:33:59.900 one doesn't. 554 00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:06.000 Big concern for all of us for me is memory care talk about that 555 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:10.500 if you would? Alzheimer's disease is rampant within our country and a 556 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:12.800 lot of it has to do that people are living longer. 557 00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:17.700 So those things about wealth the forgetfulness of old age are getting 558 00:34:17.700 --> 00:34:18.200 worse 559 00:34:18.200 --> 00:34:22.700 and worse. It really is important that if you have memory care 560 00:34:22.700 --> 00:34:27.100 issues that you're in a place that understands that a place that will 561 00:34:27.100 --> 00:34:31.200 not be judgmental on that older adult that is confused. 562 00:34:31.200 --> 00:34:37.100 We take very seriously the training of our staff to be patient to be 563 00:34:37.100 --> 00:34:41.600 loving to understand that maybe instead of saying yes or no. 564 00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:46.400 To give options to that older adult about what do you want to wear 565 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:46.700 today? 566 00:34:46.700 --> 00:34:51.500 Here is two options for you rather than just a complete open-ended 567 00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:53.000 question that confuses them. 568 00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:55.600 So training is incredibly important. 569 00:34:55.600 --> 00:35:01.100 We have a responsibility to provide a secure space so that that person 570 00:35:01.100 --> 00:35:06.700 can not elope and then risk some type of injury. 571 00:35:06.700 --> 00:35:09.000 So there's lots of responsibilities that come with it. 572 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:11.900 You've talked about long-term care. 573 00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:15.500 Most people want to stay in their home. 574 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.100 Correct. 575 00:35:16.100 --> 00:35:20.900 Do you have anything for the person who is relatively able to stay at home 576 00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:21.600 Yes, 577 00:35:21.600 --> 00:35:25.000 we head home and community-based services, but after assisted 578 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:28.900 living there is full skilled nursing in a care center and those older 579 00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:32.900 adults maybe don't have the mobility anymore that they're able to get 580 00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:34.200 up and do things for themselves. 581 00:35:34.200 --> 00:35:38.700 So we have the staff that is there to provide long-term care after 582 00:35:38.700 --> 00:35:41.700 assisted living. And when a person is in long-term care, 583 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:48.500 they're not going to be thrown out? Our hope to be in a position 584 00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:52.100 when that person runs out of money that that ever happens. 585 00:35:52.100 --> 00:35:54.900 Okay, now go back to the home care that you. Okay, 586 00:35:54.900 --> 00:35:59.200 Home Care is the reality is 95% of older adults want to live where? 587 00:35:59.200 --> 00:36:04.500 Home. In their home. Is that if we can provide the support services that 588 00:36:04.500 --> 00:36:07.900 you need to retain your Independence and it comes in a different 589 00:36:07.900 --> 00:36:11.500 couple different ways. Private duty is non-licensed 590 00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:16.200 that's if your spouse no longer can get up out of bed on their own 591 00:36:16.200 --> 00:36:18.200 and get dressed in the morning or take a shower. 592 00:36:18.200 --> 00:36:22.400 We have private duty non-licensed people that can come in and help you 593 00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:27.200 do those kinds of things. Or if you need some things like cleaning of 594 00:36:27.200 --> 00:36:32.200 the house or cooking or shopping or anything like that, whatever it is 595 00:36:32.200 --> 00:36:36.700 that you need or maybe you need just a break from your spouse that you 596 00:36:36.700 --> 00:36:38.600 would like to go to Bible study at your church 597 00:36:38.600 --> 00:36:41.300 you would like to go shopping here is the person that comes and sits 598 00:36:41.300 --> 00:36:42.900 with them that has a relationship 599 00:36:42.900 --> 00:36:43.800 with them. 600 00:36:43.800 --> 00:36:48.500 So that's private duty. Home health is licensed where a registered 601 00:36:48.500 --> 00:36:52.600 nurse or LPN will come and be able to address Health Care needs of 602 00:36:52.600 --> 00:36:53.500 that older adult. 603 00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:57.700 Plus we also have licensed therapy that's able to come into the home and 604 00:36:57.700 --> 00:37:02.400 do those things the last phase of Home and community-based Services is 605 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:03.000 hospice. 606 00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:07.900 I wish more people would understand the benefit of hospice. 607 00:37:07.900 --> 00:37:12.100 So many people are scared to death that my loved one is suffering 608 00:37:12.100 --> 00:37:14.000 I can't handle it anymore 609 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:15.500 I need help 610 00:37:15.500 --> 00:37:19.300 but if I call Hospice, they think that that's their death sentence 611 00:37:19.300 --> 00:37:23.900 that they're going to die. Hospice treat older adults with such dignity 612 00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:29.400 and respect and supports the family in a way that it makes it a lot 613 00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:33.100 easier to go through the journey of death. 614 00:37:33.100 --> 00:37:35.000 It's a Christian hospice program. 615 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:39.100 So not only do we have a nurse coming in that's able to give 616 00:37:39.100 --> 00:37:42.500 medications that that person may have significant pain. 617 00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:45.800 That palliative care that the 618 00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:49.600 pain can be averted and have more of a peaceful life and have 619 00:37:49.600 --> 00:37:53.700 quality of life at their end of days but we also have spiritual care 620 00:37:53.700 --> 00:37:58.600 our chaplains are a part of our ministry in hospice program and I 621 00:37:58.600 --> 00:38:02.200 think boy it's an incredible program which more would take advantage 622 00:38:02.200 --> 00:38:08.200 of it. I'm glad to hear that because I've heard of hospice, I've seen hospice, but 623 00:38:08.200 --> 00:38:12.700 I'm thinking Dale, Diane somebody in our family. 624 00:38:12.700 --> 00:38:17.890 I really want somebody to come who understands where I'm at faith wise 625 00:38:17.890 --> 00:38:25.900 and I've seen hospice people do do a fine job, but I thought no that 626 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:31.600 that's not exactly where I'm at. Not blaming them do what they do, but 627 00:38:31.600 --> 00:38:35.000 I want somebody who knows the faith is animated Dale for all these 628 00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:35.200 years. 629 00:38:35.200 --> 00:38:39.900 One of the things I do is I go out and I have a program to give John a 630 00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:42.600 job for the day and if I get invited out in the community 631 00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:45.600 to be a short-order cook in the Care Center in make breakfast 632 00:38:45.600 --> 00:38:48.800 I do that. If they want me to be and housekeeping and clean toilets 633 00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:49.700 I do that. 634 00:38:49.700 --> 00:38:53.900 I was asked one time to go with one of our hospice nurses and the 635 00:38:53.900 --> 00:38:54.700 vivid memory. 636 00:38:54.700 --> 00:38:57.900 It was in a one of those row houses in South St. 637 00:38:57.900 --> 00:39:01.600 Louis city and the bedroom was not big enough for a hospital bed. 638 00:39:01.600 --> 00:39:03.500 So they moved everything out of the dining room. 639 00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:06.300 They had a hospital bed in the dining room. 640 00:39:06.300 --> 00:39:09.700 And the nurse was there to change them dressing and take care of some 641 00:39:09.700 --> 00:39:14.300 things with the patient and the wife came up to me and gave me a piece 642 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:15.300 of paper and said sir 643 00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:18.700 I want you to read this when you get back to your office. And in it, 644 00:39:18.700 --> 00:39:22.800 she said I want to thank Lutheran Senior Services for the special 645 00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:27.700 angels that you have that have not only cared for my husband in a 646 00:39:27.700 --> 00:39:28.200 loving way 647 00:39:28.200 --> 00:39:32.800 I don't think I could have made it or survive without their love and 648 00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:33.600 support of me. 649 00:39:33.600 --> 00:39:35.500 That's the hospice program. 650 00:39:35.500 --> 00:39:37.400 It's not just for the person that is dying. 651 00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:40.400 It's for the family to. You mention 652 00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:42.200 you have a 18 chaplains. 653 00:39:42.200 --> 00:39:42.600 Yes. 654 00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:46.100 The seminary has been blessed by your clinical pastoral 655 00:39:46.100 --> 00:39:47.400 education program. 656 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:52.800 Would you tell us what that is? Clinical Pastoral Education is a contextual learning experience 657 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:59.400 so it gets on-the-job-training to caregivers in a situation that will 658 00:39:59.400 --> 00:40:00.800 help them learn. 659 00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:03.800 It is supervised there is classroom instruction 660 00:40:03.800 --> 00:40:05.100 there's on-the-job-training. 661 00:40:05.100 --> 00:40:09.100 There's after you have visited a resident you come back and you talk 662 00:40:09.100 --> 00:40:11.600 about what was talked about what are the do's 663 00:40:11.600 --> 00:40:16.400 what are the don'ts. And it helps those caregivers be trained in a way 664 00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:20.500 that they can hit the ground running when they're out independent on 665 00:40:20.500 --> 00:40:23.900 their own. Since 1990 when we started the program 666 00:40:23.900 --> 00:40:30.000 we have had 360 students go through the LSS CPE program at LaClede 667 00:40:30.000 --> 00:40:32.800 Groves with 608 units. 668 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:36.500 We believe that's a gift that we've given back to the church because 669 00:40:36.500 --> 00:40:41.800 we have prepared so many Pastors in a caregiving experience that will 670 00:40:41.800 --> 00:40:43.000 be different than what 671 00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:44.600 exist in a congregation. 672 00:40:44.600 --> 00:40:47.200 I was aware of CPE. 673 00:40:47.200 --> 00:40:51.300 I've never gone through it myself, but I know that many of our 674 00:40:51.300 --> 00:40:57.200 students do it and they become better pastors more sensitive as they hear 675 00:40:57.200 --> 00:40:59.100 and bring the word of life. 676 00:40:59.100 --> 00:41:00.900 When I was a student 677 00:41:00.900 --> 00:41:07.800 there was a resale it shop kitty corner from the Lutheran Hospital. Do 678 00:41:07.800 --> 00:41:10.000 resale it shops continue for LSS. 679 00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:10.400 Yes. 680 00:41:10.400 --> 00:41:14.200 We have a program we developed in 2008-9. 681 00:41:14.200 --> 00:41:17.500 It's a program where many older adults in order to move into 682 00:41:17.500 --> 00:41:21.600 our communities had to sell their home to be able to pay for the 683 00:41:21.600 --> 00:41:27.200 entrance fee. In two thousand eight and nine people were were paralyzed 684 00:41:27.200 --> 00:41:30.000 because they didn't know what to do cuz they sell their house. 685 00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:33.700 We started the program where you could donate your house to us 686 00:41:33.700 --> 00:41:36.900 we would assume all the responsibilities of the sale of the house. 687 00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:38.700 Based upon its value 688 00:41:38.700 --> 00:41:42.800 we would then give you a life income a tax-deferred 689 00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:47.100 annuity for it. Since we started that program in 2008-9. 690 00:41:47.100 --> 00:41:52.600 We've had over 255 homes donated to us that we then when we saw those 691 00:41:52.600 --> 00:41:56.400 homes, we add the proceeds to our endowment fund so that we can 692 00:41:56.400 --> 00:41:57.600 provide charity care. 693 00:41:57.600 --> 00:42:01.800 The other thing that happens is many of the homes we get they'll 694 00:42:01.800 --> 00:42:05.100 leave all the furniture behind and then it's are responsible 695 00:42:05.100 --> 00:42:08.200 responsibilities to dispose of that furniture. 696 00:42:08.200 --> 00:42:11.400 We have a resale shop called Hidden Gems. 697 00:42:11.400 --> 00:42:16.900 It's on Watson Road in Crestwood and you cannot believe the furniture 698 00:42:16.900 --> 00:42:19.600 values that are available at Hidden gems. 699 00:42:19.600 --> 00:42:21.300 That's our resale shop. 700 00:42:21.300 --> 00:42:22.300 Well, that's great. 701 00:42:22.300 --> 00:42:28.800 This is this is this is mind-boggling and being at my stage in life 702 00:42:28.800 --> 00:42:33.500 you know, it's it's interesting to me and very personal level and and 703 00:42:33.500 --> 00:42:35.800 and someday, I'm sure to our children. 704 00:42:35.800 --> 00:42:37.700 I want to thank you for being with us. 705 00:42:37.700 --> 00:42:39.700 This is this is just been great. 706 00:42:39.700 --> 00:42:41.900 And I thank you for being with us. 707 00:42:43.200 --> 00:42:47.200 What Reverend Kotovsky has told us about Lutheran Senior Services. 708 00:42:47.200 --> 00:42:52.400 Wow, this is a practical intersection of word and work. 709 00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:57.500 I pray that the intersection of wording work will be blessed and busy 710 00:42:57.500 --> 00:42:58.600 on your corner.