Ives Hill affiliates with national senior care group

Dec. 22--WATERTOWN -- Ives Hill Retirement Community and the Lodge at Ives Hill has affiliated with a national senior care nonprofit to bolster its operations with additional resources.

In exchange for 60 percent of the controlling vote and seats on Ives Hill's board of directors, Heritage Ministries, Jamestown, will provide the local senior housing provider with management, marketing, human resources and information technology support, said Anna M. Patterson, executive director of Ives Hill. The two groups signed an agreement Tuesday, and the affiliation will take effect Jan. 1.

Ms. Patterson said Ives Hill's leadership have been looking for a larger organization to provide them with additional expertise, particularly with marketing.

"All staff and residents are excited about the affiliation and we look forward to working with Heritage," she said. "It will benefit us with affiliating with a big corporation by reducing our insurance rates, having better health benefits, as well as helping us stay up on the way the world changes in senior living care."

While a larger organization, which has more than $138 million in assets, will have the controlling vote on the board, Ives Hill will not change in name or mission, according to its executive director.

Ms. Patterson said Ives Hill will continue operating as its own entity and its current board members will remain in their seats, adding that Heritage has gained no ownership through the affiliation. Ives Hill will receive no financial support from the national group, which has affiliates in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Washington, for its operations, but Ms. Patterson said it will manage the local group's finances. No money was exchanged for the affiliation.

"There won't be any changes. Our job is not to change organizations," said Lisa Haglund, vice president of marketing for Heritage. "We're a nonprofit as well, so we're there to help out."

Ives Hill Retirement Community formed in 1997. After years of growth, the community now has 43 apartments and 42 cottages and duplexes. The Lodge at Ives Hill was constructed in 2012 and offers 18 units.

The organization overall has an 86 percent occupancy rate, which includes 17 units of 18 filled at the Lodge, Mrs. Patterson said.

"We're just really excited to join your community," Mrs. Hagland said.

___

(c)2018 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.)

Visit Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) at www.watertowndailytimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.