Building with Care: Ebenezer Ridges Campus Grows
As part of Fairview Health Services, Ebenezer and Ebenezer Management Services offer a range of senior living and care options across more than 60 operating entities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and greater Minnesota.
As people age, many seek to simplify their lives by shedding property and possessions for less demanding lifestyles. At the same time, changing medical needs and other circumstances can require difficult choices, disruptive changes and moves. The Ebenezer Ridges campus in Burnsville, Minnesota, is designed to help make these transitions smoother for seniors and their families.
Over two years, Kraus-Anderson worked with Ebenezer to strengthen the continuum of care on the Ridges campus. The campus offers skilled nursing transitional care, adult day care and child care, in addition to assisted living and memory care.
Recent work included the three-story, 80,000-square-foot Arbors at Ridges assisted living facility, completed in 2013, and conversion of the former assisted living facility into Arbor Lane. Arbor Lane provides assisted living and specialty care, including comfort care suites for seniors at the end of life.
Construction was also planned for a new transitional care unit adjacent to the campus Care Center. Together, these components strengthen the continuum of care available on the campus.
“After opening just a year ago, Arbor Lane is already filled, which is a testament to the exceptional services the staff provide,” said Erin Hilligan, campus administrator at Ebenezer Ridges.
What prompted the name change at Arbor Lane?
HILLIGAN: The building was remodeled. We built a new assisted living facility with Kraus-Anderson, which gave us the opportunity to add a memory care community to our campus, something we knew we needed and were not providing at the time.
The facility is already filled. How many residents are there?
HILLIGAN: We have two secured communities, White Pine and Blue Spruce, for a total of 31 apartments. Additionally, we have a 13-apartment specialty community for assisted living and independent living, as well as our Solace program, an end-of-life comfort care program.
Why has there been such a strong response to Arbor Lane?
HILLIGAN: I really think the campus is the reason. All of our communities support each other. Ebenezer Ridges has a strong reputation in the community for providing excellent care. Everyone knows us, so they trusted that when we added memory care, we would have the training, programs and people to provide exceptional service.
What are current trends in memory care, and how are they reflected at Arbor Lane?
HILLIGAN: Training is what is special at Arbor Lane. We use specialized training that incorporates validation therapy techniques, aromatherapy, wellness, lifelong learning, intergenerational relationships and outings.
What distinguishes Arbor Lane from other memory care facilities?
HILLIGAN: Arbor Lane is different because of the specialized training, great staff, campus community and intergenerational living.
We work with Fairview and the University of Minnesota to stay informed about the latest research. We also have a Performance Improvement Payment Plan grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, for the nursing homes.
What types of services are available at Arbor Lane?
HILLIGAN:
- Assisted Living: Apartments with services selected by each resident to support their individual care needs.
- Specialty Care: At Arbor Lane, this includes Solace, an end-of-life assisted living model provided in partnership with Fairview Home Care and Hospice.
- Comfort Care Suites: A higher level of assisted living with 24-hour nursing.
As needs change, does continuum of care still mean transitioning to a different physical environment?
HILLIGAN: Once you move onto the Ebenezer Ridges campus, we make every effort to help you remain in your apartment home as long as possible. Over time, there may be reasons to move, whether financial or related to security, but for the most part, it is best if people can remain in their home.
What role does intergenerational support play at the Ebenezer Ridges campus?
HILLIGAN: We have 56 children on campus. We consider living in an intergenerational community provides a richer environment for everyone, children, seniors and staff alike.
Living where age is not the focus draws attention to what can be possible, rather than what is not possible.
What are the plans for the new 18,155-square-foot transitional care unit?
HILLIGAN: The transitional care unit will respond to a growing need for transitional care in our community. Currently, we have 12 rooms assigned to provide short-term care for people who have had a hospital stay and need a place to heal and rehabilitate before returning home.
To meet growing demand within the Fairview system and, hopefully, beyond it, we are doubling our capacity. This expansion is a real benefit to the community because it allows us to serve people in Burnsville close to home. They do not have to leave Burnsville to receive care.
The transitional care unit will be located on the south end of the Care Center building. The new wing will not be in occupied space, but a connection will be made at a later point.
In this interview, Erin Hilligan answered questions about the Ebenezer Ridges senior living campus, including assisted living, memory care, specialty care, comfort care suites, intergenerational living and transitional care services. Learn more about the Arbors at Ridges project, Fairview Ridges Hospital and Specialty Care Center and Kraus-Anderson’s healthcare construction experience.
CATEGORY: Construction