A bankruptcy court this week approved the $51 million sale of SpiriTrust Lutheran’s six senior-living communities and three HUDD properties to Concordia Lutheran Ministries, clearing a major step in the transfer of ownership of facilities that serve more than 1,000 older adults across York, Franklin and Adams counties.
At a sales hearing held earlier this week, the court found that the sale process had been conducted “fairly and in good faith” and authorized the transaction following a court-approved bankruptcy auction. Final closing is still subject to approval from several regulatory authorities and is expected to take approximately 60–90 days. During that interim period, Concordia will assume day-to-day management of the SpiriTrust properties.
Concordia will take over operations of the Village at Gettysburg, a residential-living community at 1075 Old Harrisburg Road that offers cottages and apartments for older adults.
“We are extremely humbled by the opportunity to have the SpiriTrust Lutheran communities join the Concordia family — it truly is a perfect mission fit,” said Concordia Lutheran Ministries President and CEO Keith Frndak. “These communities have outstanding team members and a really great resident population, and we pray that we can build upon the Christian legacy that started there back in 1951.”
Staff at the Village at Gettysburg were told in a recent meeting that operations were expected to remain largely the same, easing concerns among employees and residents who have faced months of uncertainty tied to the bankruptcy proceedings.
Concordia leaders plan to be on site next week to hold town hall meetings with residents, families and employees at each community. The sessions are intended to introduce Concordia’s leadership team, provide background on the organization, answer anticipated questions and gather feedback from those affected by the transition.
While many details of the transition are still being finalized, Concordia has said it intends to invest significant resources in upgrades across the former SpiriTrust campuses.
SpiriTrust Lutheran currently serves about 1,050 residents across six life-plan communities, providing residential living, assisted living, personal care, memory support, and nursing and rehabilitation services. The nonprofit traces its origins to the early 1950s and has long been a major senior-care provider in south-central Pennsylvania, employing more than 600 people.
Concordia Lutheran Ministries, headquartered in Cabot, Butler County, was founded in 1881 and today serves more than 50,000 people annually through a network of in-home and inpatient services. The faith-based organization offers adult day services, home health care, hospice, medical and rehabilitation services, memory care, personal care, assisted living, respite care, retirement living, skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitation, spiritual care and medical equipment.
The organization is CARF-accredited and was the inaugural recipient of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s Excellence in Quality Care Award. Concordia also provides subsidized care each year to hundreds of residents who have exhausted their financial resources.
Since 2009, Concordia has expanded rapidly, primarily in southwestern Pennsylvania, with a stated goal of acting as a “Christian consolidator” in the senior-care industry — preserving faith-based organizations and strengthening their long-term stability.
“This transition represents a hopeful and meaningful new chapter for SpiriTrust Lutheran,” said Melissa Frownfelter, interim president and CEO/COO of SpiriTrust Lutheran. “Concordia Lutheran Ministries shares our deep commitment to faith-based service, compassionate care and long-term stability, and we are confident that our residents, families and team members will continue to be supported and strengthened as this legacy moves forward.”