Terry Etling had less than six months to get settled into her new post as the head of LSS at Meramec Bluffs before plans began in earnest on the campus’s newest expansion.

The new wing, which breaks ground in late summer, will house 46 new apartments arranged in eight new floor plans. “What’s really satisfying about this new expansion is, as we grow, we have the chance to learn what residents like best about their floorplans,” said Etling. “Our designers really took the time to learn what worked best about the original units and worked to improve the apartments from the ground up.”

“We’ve already gotten a great response from the community and from our residents,” said Etling, who transferred to the Ballwin senior living community in January. “People are calling in and inquiring, and they’re eager to find out more about what we’re going to be offering.”

Preparing for a major construction project is a daunting enough task for any administrator—even one who isn’t new to campus.

However, Etling says, her residents and staff have been instrumental in helping her handle a full slate of new challenges. “It’s been great,” she said. “Everybody’s been so kind and welcoming. I’ve really had a great time getting to know all the new residents and employees—and there are a lot of people to get to know. We have almost 500 residents and 260 employees here.”

While the larger population of residents and employees has required her to change some of her methods, Terry has introduced a few procedural changes of her own. Perhaps the biggest has been a re-energized focus on person-centered care in the campus’s new skilled care center.

At the center of this revitalization is Jay Frances, the community’s new assistant administrator. “Jay has prior long-term care experience, both at the operational level and as a drafter of policy,” said Etling. “He’s been working with the staff, trying to get the team developed and moving toward a less institutional attitude about skilled care.”

Return to LSS News page