Lakeview Lutheran Manor honors council, donors

Mardi Suhs | Cadillac News Lutheran Social Services of Michigan President Mark Stutrud addressed PresidentŐs Council and Heritage Society donors at an appreciation dinner Wednesday night.

CADILLAC - Lutheran Social Services of Michigan and Lakeview Manor of Cadillac held an appreciation dinner for its President's Council and Heritage Society donors Wednesday night at McGuire's resort.

“We are here to hear stories about what our services have meant to people, for prayer and fellowship,” explained LSSM President Mark Stutrud.

LSSM is a ministry that serves people who are hurting and vulnerable. Dinner guests included not only donors, but also families who have benefited from LSSM services.

Jim and Carol Seidel praised the staff and services of Lincoln Home, a group home for persons with developmental disabilities, where their son Tony lives.

“Tony's quality of life has made a big change since coming to Lincoln, and we thank God every day,” said Jim Seidel.

Carolyn Mann introduced her two adopted daughters, Julie and Christine, and said how thankful she was to Lutheran Adoption Services for facilitating their adoptions. Julie spoke with emotion about what it meant for she and her sister to be “brought into loving forever families.”

Dave Goodrich, administrator of Lakeview Lutheran Manor, addressed the guests about transitions taking place in the facility.

“Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” he explained, “people remember Lakeview as a 218 bed nursing home where our residents usually didn't get discharged. That has all changed. Now, in a four month period, of the 90 new admissions, 95 percent were discharged after 100 days.

“Most of these people went home or to assisted living and adult foster care,” Goodrich pointed out. “We are seeing a real transition in our nursing home.”

The Lakeview board of directors has created a strategy to meet these changes.

“In response we are considering reducing the number of total beds to 160 and take that space and make those private rooms to meet the demand of the community. People want to be in private rooms for short term stays.”

Other changes will include enhancing entryways. Lakeview is also creating a master plan to target property they own along Sunnyside Drive.

“We can envision senior apartments and townhouses along those areas during the last five to 10 years,” he said. “We see exciting things happening along Pearl Street to meet the demands of our customers, staff and volunteers.”

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