Ebenezer Care Center was home to many older adults, offering short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing care, memory care, deaf services, adult day center, and spiritual health services. While Ebenezer Care Center has now closed, Ebenezer Integrated Care & Rehab, which is part of the Fairview Community Health and Wellness Hub that opened in 2022 at the former St. Joseph’s Campus in downtown St. Paul, is now open.
Ebenezer Care Center: 100+ year old history of helping older adults
Ebenezer Care Center enjoys a beautiful history steeped in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of older adults. In 1916, representatives from six Norwegian Lutheran church bodies created the Old Folk’s Home Society to provide a free home for the poor and aging. This was later named the Ebenezer Home Society. In 1919, Ebenezer Gamlehjem opened with ten residents and five more were admitted by the end of the year.
In the next 100 years, Ebenezer significantly grew, adding a North and South Wing, Chapel, skilled nursing care at Luther Hall, and Auxiliary Gift Shop. In 1947, Ebenezer pioneered offering on-site residences for staff with the opening of the workers dormitory, later named Luther Annex. In 1950, Ebenezer Home Society was the largest nursing home organization in the country with 300 residents and by 1963, it was home to nearly 500 residents.
In 1965, Ebenezer hired a nurse from Norway to care for the large population of Norwegian-speaking residents, and in 1968, His Majesty King Olav V of Norway visits Ebenezer for the second time.
From the beginning, community outreach was important to Ebenezer. In 1923, the first Ice Cream Lawn Social was held on-site, and this popular annual event continued through 2023.
Ebenezer Integrated Care & Rehab: the future of healthcare
Ebenezer will continue its mission of helping older adults lead more independent, healthful, meaningful, and secure lives in the new Ebenezer Integrated Care & Rehab, located within the Fairview Community Health and Wellness Hub in St. Paul. This location will offer 24 transitional care suites, 19 secure memory care suites, and 19 suites for complex medical care.
The Fairview Community Health and Wellness Hub is the first-of-its-kind healthcare center that brings together a wide range of critical healthcare services and community resources under one roof. Teams from Fairview and Ebenezer, alongside trusted local partners, are addressing health disparities and positively impacting the health and wellbeing of the St. Paul community.
“Ebenezer Care Center was known over the years for the team’s commitment to building human connection with older adults, particularly those in need. We’ve never wavered in our mission of helping older adults, and this commitment shines through in our rich history,” said Jon Lundberg, President and CEO of Ebenezer. “We’re thrilled to carry on this tradition of serving seniors with our Ebenezer Integrated Care & Rehab and continue to positively impact the lives of older adults in our community.”