Tag Archive for: Masonic Communities

Masonic Homes of California has been improving their services and offerings for years under the guidance and care of their CEO, but now, they're turning the page as he retires and a new CEO is appointed.

125 Years of Service for California Masons—and More to Come!

At the Masonic Homes of California, our Member Spotlight of the Month, a period of rapid growth has the organization poised for a bright future.

A Need for Change

Back in 2018, Gary Charland, the president and CEO of the Masonic Homes of California, packed each member of his board of directors into golf carts and took them on an impromptu tour of the senior community’s campus in the East Bay town of Union City. It wasn’t pretty. “I specifically made sure we hit every bump in the road,” Charland says with a chuckle, and there were plenty to hit. He also pointed out the things that were missing—namely, sidewalks and walkways for pedestrians. On a campus known for its natural beauty, there wasn’t an easy way for residents to enjoy the outdoors, and Charland made sure board members noticed that, too.

Then, he brought them inside, where he pointed out cracked tiles and wasted space – he was unsparing in his tour. Finally, he turned to the challenge of caring for an aging population and what it meant for the Masonic Homes of California for the next 10, 20, or 100 years. In fact, Charland returned to a phrase he’d learned from several past grand masters: “The Masonic Homes is the jewel in the crown of California Freemasonry. Since its founding in 1898, the clinical care, culture, and support services offered through the Masonic Homes have been among the finest in the industry. But all that good work depends on infrastructure. And that needed major upgrades; the jewel needs polishing.”

Efforts Paid Off: A New Masonic Homes of California

Now, as Charland steps down as CEO and the Masonic Homes celebrates its 125th anniversary, the shine has most definitely returned. Charland’s retirement this summer comes on the heels of the completion of a long-gestating capital improvement plan to not only modernize the organization’s two senior community campuses in Union City and Covina (in the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles), but to recalibrate its service offerings for the current and future needs of the membership.

This summer’s double milestone is also an opportunity to reflect on just how much the Masonic Homes of California have evolved under Charland’s decade-plus stewardship. Among the notable changes since he took over have been:

  • The opening in 2022 of the Pavilion at the Masonic Homes in Union City and the planned opening this fall of the Covina Health Center, both of which feature 32 beds designed for those requiring skilled nursing or memory-loss care. By providing those services on-campus for the first time, couples living at the Masonic Homes will never need to be separated if one of their health needs require specialized care. Both projects were made possible through a three-year “Let’s Write the Future” fundraising campaign by the California Masonic Foundation.
  • The completion of a five-year, $115 million Campus Master Plan in Union City, which included the complete renovation of the northern wing of the Adams Building (independent and assisted living) and Wollenberg Building (assisted living and memory care), the construction of new roads, walking paths, the repaving of the Sedam Plaza, and landscaping throughout the campus. Thanks to the recently completed renovations, the Union City campus has raised its capacity by 52 beds, most of which are dual-licensed for independent or assisted-living. The campus has also increased its share of beds set aside for memory care from just eight to 46 and, systemwide, there’s been a 58 percent increase in capacity.
  • The exponential growth of the Masonic Center for Youth and Families, a mental health and wellness service that has grown from serving approximately 150 clients per year in 2015 to more than 1,000 per year, nearly all remotely, during the pandemic. In addition to its work with Masonic families and members of the Masonic youth orders, MCYAF also partners with several school districts and other public agencies to provide services for young people and – thanks to a recent Medicaid approval – now offers mental-health programs to seniors living at the Masonic Homes.
  • The founding of the Lodge Outreach Program, beginning in 2011, in which members of California Masonic lodges are trained in the fundamentals of social work to reach out to their membership to help connect them to services available through the Masonic Senior Outreach Services (MSOS) or Masonic Family Outreach Services (MFOS) programs. The Lodge Outreach Program now has representatives in every Masonic district of the state, helping connect hundreds of California Masons and their families with referrals, advice, care management, and in many cases temporary emergency funds.
  • The opening in 2020 of a new Shared Housing option for seniors in Covina, open to Masons aged 60 and up and able to live independently. The low-cost cohousing arrangement provides much-needed housing for those on a fixed income.
  • The development of the Transitions rehabilitative services program in Union City—the first offering from the Masonic Homes to be open to the general public as a fee-for-service. Transitions offers those recovering from surgery, heart attack, or other serious medical issues with 24-hour skilled nursing in a setting with hotel-style amenities including private bathrooms. In 2022, Transitions was named a top rehab facility by U.S. News and World Report.
  • The founding and growth of a first-of-its-kind, five-part Stepping Stones memory care program. Through Stepping Stones, residents at the Masonic Homes have access to memory care programs designed for every step of memory loss—including the very earliest stages—that have been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia by years.
  • The opening in 2011 of the Acacia Creek retirement community in Union City, a market-rate, sister organization of the Masonic Homes offering high-end senior independent-living apartments to the general public.

Under Charland’s leadership, the Masonic Homes has also become a much more visible fixture in the local community. Seniors at the Masonic Homes and Acacia Creek regularly volunteer off-campus, and the campuses are open to the public for yearly events including SummerFest and HarvestFest and a beloved holiday tree-lighting.

Turning the Page: Terry Quigley, the New CEO

Beginning July 1, Terry Quigley, MSW, NHA will begin as chief executive officer and president. Quigley comes to the Masonic Homes with an extensive background managing mission-driven human services organizations and CCRCs, including through Episcopal Communities and Services in Southern California, where she oversaw assisted-living and affordable housing communities serving more than 700 residents. Quigley has also led operations at Shea Family Care and the Cloisters of La Jolla Skilled Nursing Facility in San Diego.

As the Masonic Homes of California celebrates its sesquicentennial and salutes Charland’s decade-plus of service to its mission, it looks to a particularly bright future.

Learn more about the Masonic Homes of California and Acacia Creek Retirement Community online and inquire about membership on the Membership Page on our MCSA website!

MCSA is proud to be the sponser of several members that benefit our senior communities, like Masonic Homes of California.

Masonic Homes of California Named Top Short-Term Rehabilitation Center

Big news for Union City patients: The Masonic Homes of California has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top short-term rehabilitation centers.

Established in 2016, the Masonic Homes of California’s Transitions short-term rehabilitation center is open in Union City to patients of all ages to recover following surgery, illness, or injury. The program’s highly qualified staff includes a dedicated registered nurse case manager assigned to each patient, plus an extensive interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, therapists, social services managers, and nutritionists. Specialized services are offered to patients recovering from orthopedic, neurological, and cardiopulmonary surgeries, as well as those who have experienced strokes.

Through the award-winning Transitions short-term rehabilitation program, the entire East Bay community is able to experience the world-class care that has defined the Masonic Homes for the past 125 years.

Read the whole article to discover the benefits of short-term rehabilitation at the Masonic Homes of California and reach out to an admissions coordinator at (510) 299-9144 today!

If you’re interested in what else is happening with the members of the Masonic Communities & Services Association, visit our News Page or contact us today!

MCSA is proud to be the sponsor of several members that benefit our senior communities, like Masonic Homes of California with their short-term rehabilitation care.

Meet Symbria, Our Business Partner Spotlight

Symbria is a company who is working towards uniting Pharmacy, Therapy and Well-Being for skilled nursing and assisted living communities through a single strategic partner. Symbria’s culture of innovation and creative use of technology provides support to client communities empowering them to achieve better results, lightening their clinical team’s workload, and sharpening their competitive edge.

Learn More About the Benefits of Symbria

We know transitioning to a new provider can be overwhelming, but Symbria’s comprehensive services integrate to deliver optimum efficiency and impact from a single strategic partner—that’s the Power of One. Our team works seamlessly with your staff—and each other. Since our services are driven by insights and analytics about your organization, we tailor our services to assist you in reaching your goals. Below are client testimonials on the benefits they have received from choosing Symbria.

  • Contract vs. in-house therapy: Weighing your options. In this webinar, Bobbie Gray, Senior Director of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, shares her journey of transitioning to contract therapy services for her community. Watch this webinar to gain a better understanding of the pros and cons of each.
  • Medication management: The benefits of strip packaging. In this webinar, Anthony Columbatto, Vice President of Health Services at John Knox Village, discusses the benefits his community has experienced from transitioning from bingo cards to strip packaging. Watch this webinar to learn more about how our strip packaging programs save time, improve accuracy, and reduce waste.
  • What The Power of One means to residentsWatch this testimonial video to learn about the benefits of Symbria’s Well-Being program and how it has positively impacted a resident’s daily life.

Interested in learning how much can you save with Symbria? Check out our Savings Calculator to see how much you can save for your community.

Want to learn more about MCSA’s business partners? Check out our previous business partner spotlights on our News page, along with several other blogs featuring member spotlights and village news!

MCSA is proud to be the partner of several companies that benefit our senior communities, like Symbria.

Three Pillars Senior Living Communities gives our residents a high-quality retirement living option, even if there's a heath condition.

Three Pillars Senior Living Communities: Expanding Every Day

Meet Our June Member Spotlight, Three Pillars Senior Living Communities!

Masonic Villages has a variety of different campuses across the US with specialties that serve our senior communities. Our Wisconsin Masonic Home’s Three Pillars Senior Living Communities span across Dousman, WI with 5 different residence centers that each focus on unique care plans. These centers include:

An Exciting Expansion

Just recently, it was announced that Three Pillars Senior Living Communities will be adding 8 new residence centers to their neighborhood in a variety of garden home, courtyard, loft, and villa styles centered around a Town Center. All living centers and residents will have access to the Town Center, which will include:

  • Casual Dining
  • Supper Club
  • Pub
  • Spa/Wellness
  • Performing Arts Center
  • Social Connection Spaces
  • Walking/Biking Trails
  • Fitness Center
  • Dog Park
  • Bark River Access

This campus expansion seeks to take the change in the needs of the retirement community in stride and meet them as they come with the same high-quality services delivered by trusted, compassionate staff and volunteers.

To learn more about the upcoming groundbreaking in the Fall of 2023, as well as the other recent modernizations and additions that have been made to the other existing neighborhoods, you can attend one of Three Pillars’ Informational Sessions or download their brochure via their website!

These healthcare-based living residence centers are part of the Masonic Community’s efforts to deconstruct the stereotypes surrounding age, care, and the options that are available outside of the traditional retirement living sphere. Learn more about Three Pillars Senior Living Communities on their website under their “Our Story” tab, with the History,News, and more at the click of a button!

Want to become a member of the Masonic Community? See about a membership!

MCSA is proud to be the partner of several retirement homes across the country, including Three Pillars Senior Living Communities in Wisconsin.

Join 3 Pillars Senior Living Community in their Memory Care Campaign.

Three Pillars’ Memory Care Campaign

Three Pillar's Memory Care Campaign is a great way to get involved in MCSA's mission to care for our senior communities.

With specialties across the board, Three Pillars’ Living Communities in Wisconsin has seen the growing need for memory and dementia care and is working hard to satisfy it.

Three Pillars Senior Living Communities’ exciting memory care vision is built around the continued evolution of dementia-capable spaces. Intentional at every turn, they aim to set a new standard of caring for individuals and families affected by dementia, which involves providing a full spectrum of holistic dementia care along with a strong sense of inclusion. They plan to change barriers and stereotypes surrounding memory care – how?

From their Memory Care Campaign Page:

“Three Pillars has developed a thorough, strategic plan to address the pressing need for more services, support, and programming for those affected by varying stages of dementia, along with their loved ones. The two keystones of this plan include:

  • Building three, new Residential Memory Care neighborhoods (with the opportunity to add a fourth). Each will serve 18 residents.
  • Establishing a Cognitive Resource Center to serve individuals and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Primary components will include memory care training, resource center, wellness and respite programs.

These additions, located close to a brand-new childcare center, walking paths, garden home neighborhoods, and our town center, will become a vital part of our Three Pillars campus. They will be thoughtfully designed for maximum social engagement, security, and cognitive stimulation.”

Learn all about Three Pillar’s Memory Care Campaign and what you can do to support them on their website page dedicated to the campaign.

The time to contribute is now, and Three Pillars is aiming to meet the need for specific dementia-related care in Wisconsin before the need becomes overwhelming – join them in their goal to be proactive and donate today! You can contact them on their website or find them in the MCSA directory for any questions or further discussion.

 

MCSA is proud to be the partner of several retirement homes across the country that specialize in memory care, including Three Pillars Senior Living Communities in Wisconsin.

The Grand Lodge of Illinois is MCSA's spotlight member of the month for May. Learn more about them and their charitable organizations!

The Grand Lodge of Illinois: Illinois Masonic Outreach Services (IMOS) Charity

Who is The Grand Lodge of IL?

Illinois Freemasonry consists of the fraternal operations of the most worshipful Grand Lodge of ancient free and accepted Masons of the state of Illinois and the charities operations of the Illinois Masonic Charities organizations.

The Grand Lodge of Illinois is the 4th largest Masonic grand jurisdiction in the United States based upon membership size and provides members with a valuable and quality masonic membership experience. Through that experience, they bring to life how Freemasons invest in self-improvement and being useful to others, which has continued to advance the cherished legacy of the ancient and honorable fraternity in Illinois since 1840.

Their charities operations provide valuable services to the fraternity members, families and other citizens of Illinois. These services are an outward expression of our Masonic values, duties and responsibilities. Fundamentally, they represent (along with the many local community service and charitable efforts of our Lodges) how Freemasons are useful and make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Want to Get Involved?

The Illinois Freemasonry Magazine is a quarterly publication that highlights several learning and service opportunities along with other activities that benefit our members and communities. Here is the link to access a digital version of their magazine if you’re interested in keeping up to date with their activities! If you would like to learn more about Illinois Freemasonry, then you can visit their website for more information on:

The Grand Lodge of Illinois is committed to the Freemasons of Illinois and their communities, which is why they have one of the largest charity outreach programs in the nation.

 

Illinois Masonic Outreach Services (IMOS) Charity

THEIR MISSION:

“To assist our members in fulfilling their Masonic Oath of coming to the aid of a Brother, their spouse, widow and orphans in times of necessity and to bridge the gap between community resources and our Member’s needs by promoting access to the services and resources they may need to resolve personal challenges and improve their quality of life.”

To learn more about the several ways that they bring their mission to life, visit their IMOS website!

Currently, they have more than 100 Master Masons, spouses, and widows in their monthly assistance program. They are also focusing on a new Career Development Program that will be rolling out very soon, so stay tuned!

Due to the most recent tornados, flooding, and storms, they have reached out to Illinois Master Masons and widows across the country. They’ve sent out more than 5,000 letters via regular mail and email to AL, AR, CA, IL, IN, MS, and TN to name a few states, just to let Illinois Freemasonry family members know that the Grand Lodge of Illinois is here for them should they need disaster relief.

For information on similar Grand Lodges, visit MCSA’s member directory!

The charitable programs of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, such as the IMCAP program, makes a difference in people's lives throughout Illinois.

Illinois Masonic Children’s Assistance Program (IMCAP) Charity

IMCAP and Lodges: Taking Care of the Next Generation in Your Community

The Illinois Masonic Children’s Assistance Program (IMCAP) started in 2018 to enhance the Illinois Masonic Lodges’ mission of acting with benevolence. Through IMCAP’s many programs, Lodges have a way to make a difference in their community and in the lives of children and young adults. One of IMCAP’s newest programs, the Vocational Training Grant, offers $1,000 in grant funds per Lodge per year to assist students that are attending a vocational or trade program.

This new grant is in addition to the Education Grant Partnership that offers grant funds for students attending college or vocational programs. With the help of Illinois Masonic Lodges, we are able to make an impact on the future for young adults throughout Illinois.

More information about the Vocational Training Grant can be found at https://imcap.org/vocational-training-grant.

To learn more about all of the programs that IMCAP offers, visit our website at https://imcap.org/.

Want other opportunities to learn and grow in the MCSA community? Check out our Events Page!

The Grand Lodge of Illinois is committed to the Freemasons of Illinois and their communities, which is why they have one of the largest charity outreach programs in the nation. Learn more about the IMCAP today!

Masonic Homes Kentucky provides assisted and independent living to people of all ages in the Louisville, Shelbyville, and other Northern Kentucky areas.

Meet Masonic Homes Kentucky, Our Spotlight Member

This past fiscal year, (FY21-22) has been an exceptional year for the Masonic Home of Missouri.

There’s No Place Like Home – We Are Where You Are!

The Masonic Home of Missouri has evolved beyond a physical home. The Masonic Home offers multiple programs to help Missouri Masons, their wives or widows, Eastern Star ladies, and children, wherever they live. Since 1991, the Masonic Home of Missouri’s shift into Programs has allowed the organization to grow beyond a building into an organization with unlimited potential. And this past year proves that!

This past fiscal year, (FY21-22) has been an exceptional year for the Masonic Home of Missouri. For the first time since the inception of the Outreach Programs, over $2 million of direct assistance was provided to clients. This does not include operational costs, meaning every donor dollar went directly to help someone in need. With an estimated 44,042 lives impacted in one year, these numbers are the highest since the Masonic Home came into existence, and far surpasses the number of people that could have been helped in a facility.

The Masonic Home of Missouri has evolved beyond a physical home.

For more stories and information, visit our publications online, or our website. 

The Programs categorize into three areas. Financial, Partnership, and Resource & Recognition Programs. With a total of 10 programs ranging from Long –Term to Short –Term Financial Assistance, Children’s Outreach, Creating-A-Partnership, Social Services, Widows and Veterans Recognition, Masonic Family Cares, Partnering to Honor, and Financial Education Programs. The Masonic Home of Missouri truly is where our members are, whenever they need us.

Since 1991, the Masonic Home of Missouri has shifted into Programs that allow the organization to grow beyond a building into an organization with unlimited potential.

Click here to learn more, and access our directory here.

The cost of living for the MCSA villagers. How much to live in a retirement community?

Cost Essentials of Continuing Care Retirement Communities

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) offer multiple levels of active retirement and health care options – retirement living (independent living), personal care, and skilled nursing on the same campus. How the cost of health care is covered depends on the plan offered. Upon moving into a CCRC, residents select one of these plans:  

Type A – Lifecare 

Under a Lifecare contract, offered at Masonic Village at Sewickley, residents pay an upfront entrance fee and an ongoing monthly fee that bundles most of the cost for day-to-day living. Residents who transfer from retirement living to health care pay essentially the same monthly fee in place at time of transfer. Most communities will adjust the monthly fee for the additional meals provided in personal care and skilled nursing.  

  • Entrance fees are higher because you’re covering a full range of future possible health challenges.  
  • The monthly fee remains virtually the same if your health needs increase.  
  • Most residents qualify for tax advantages.  
  • Preferred by residents looking for cost certainty and financial protection of their savings/assets. 

 Type C – Fee for Service 

Under a fee for service contract, residents pay an upfront entrance fee and an ongoing monthly fee that bundles most of the cost for day-to-day living. Entry fees and monthly fees are lower upon entry into active retirement living, but residents pay the full cost of personal care or skilled nursing for as long as needed at market rates. 

  • The entrance fee allows the community to charge a lower monthly fee than Lifecare communities. 
  • This plan does not provide for tax write-off since heath care services are not pre-funded. 
  • Savings and assets are potentially depleted paying for health care. 

Some CCRCs offer a  rental option without an entrance fee requirement. Residents who choose this type of contract pay a higher monthly fee and assume the full risk of the cost and self-coordination of their future care. 

Visit our cost page for more information on retirement living fees.