Half-century of care — Walnut Hills marks 50th anniversary
Now in its 50th year, Walnut Hills, located in Walnut Creek, includes a nursing home, assisted-living and independent-living homes, and The Commons and The Meadows, the latter boasting larger homes near a pond and walking trails.
You can’t drive through Walnut Creek without noticing at least a snippet of the Walnut Hills complex. Nestled on the side of a hill that was once part of a farm, the views of the campus now stretch to encompass a vast senior living community that provides every level of need and care. From skilled nursing care to independent living, it’s everything rolled into one.
On June 28 Walnut Hills celebrated a milestone of 50 years of being in business.
“Levi and Lillis Troyer opened the Walnut Hills nursing home in 1971,” said Paula Miller, the company’s community relations director. “They had operated Shady Lawn Nursing Home in Dalton for 10 years and decided it was time to come home.”
Miller said a farm in Walnut Creek was on the market, and the Troyers purchased it, building a 51-bed nursing home. Two years later in 1973, sensing a need in the community for more space, the capacity doubled.
“When the nursing home opened in 1971, the cost to stay per day was $12.50, and the wage for an LPN was $2.50 per hour,” Miller said. “They had 14 employees.”
For the Troyers it was always about serving people and giving good care. Walnut Hills has always operated as a faith-based company, and it was a mission to serve the community. With a pioneering spirit and a vision, they plunged forward, opening the assisted-living part of Walnut Hills in 1976.
“When assisted living opened here, we were one of the first assisted-living facilities in Ohio,” Miller said. “A new level of care was needed. That’s what made them pioneers. They evaluated that need and moved forward.”
The complex now stretches up and down the hill, in and around retaining walls that include the nursing home, assisted-living and independent-living homes, which opened in 1989. Today, the independent-living spaces include The Commons and The Meadows, the latter boasting larger homes near a pond and walking trails. The independent-living homes are available through a life lease or by renting, with maintenance and all exterior work included.
“If your independent-living home needs a new roof, you call us,” Miller said. “Everything is taken care of. Walnut Hills has endured because it was always about people. It was about figuring out what people needed in our community and providing it for them. Levi and Lillis were also very specific on giving opportunities for people to have a fulfilling career. We’re still providing good care 50 years later because of good people.”
Like in many other fields, the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for Walnut Hills.
“If there was anything good to come out of it, it was that it forced us to be creative and meet the needs of the residents when they were quarantined,” Miller said. “On some days we’d have them each sit individually in their doorways and do activities.
“One of the coolest things we did, and something that makes our location unique, is a balcony that runs all the way along the outside. We had the residents sit outside and treated them to concerts. The musicians played from the parking lot, and everyone was kept safe and enjoyed it. It was something we would never have thought of before.”
Other activities included hot dog and coffee bar drive-thrus.
Levi Troyer once said, “No organization can stay stagnant and expect to survive. We always have to come up with new ideas.”
Finding people to strategize and implement those new ideas was the key.
Because of COVID there will not be a big celebration for the 50th anniversary. The guidelines on masking and limited visitors are still in place inside Walnut Hills, as the relaxing of them did not apply to nursing and assisted-living facilities.
“We may bring some food trucks in for staff and are preparing a video to share on social media,” Miller said, “but if things continue to relax, we may try to plan something bigger and invite the public this fall.”
The local community has been supportive during the pandemic as schools dropped off cards and there were goody baskets filled with treats and trinkets of encouragement.
When the Troyers were ready to retire, they were looking to partner with someone who would continue the ideology and beliefs of Walnut Hills. In 2007 they partnered with Greencroft Communities, based out of Goshen, Indiana and a faith-based nonprofit entity. Walnut Hills became a Greencroft affiliate.
“Many people might not know that Walnut Hills is now a nonprofit organization with a local board of Holmes County directors,” Miller said. “We went from being a for-profit organization to a nonprofit. This means we can accept donations, and it played a major factor in opening our transitional care and rehab space.
“You have to ask, ‘What does the community need?’ So we are a community benefit organization which partners with local businesses and helps provide and assess those needs. Being a nonprofit means we don’t pay dividends to shareholders and all the money goes back into the campus.”
Walnut Hills is the only facility in Holmes County that offers continuing care, and with the experience of 50 years under its belt, residents can feel secure knowing they’re in good hands.
“The evidence of experience and high-quality care are shown in our 5-star rating by (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services),” Miller said. “These ratings are care-related. They have nothing to do with fancy buildings or shiny things. It’s all based on care and experience.”
Walnut Hills also was awarded Best Nursing Home twice by U.S. News & World Report. More than 13,000 nursing facilities were reviewed, and only 1,139 were given the Best Nursing Home designation — or less than 9%.
During the height of the pandemic when everything felt off-balance, the idea was sparked to have a prayer circle around the facility. Many of the residents from independent living hopped in their cars and joined staff, making a circle around the buildings as they drove, stopping every little bit to pray. The entire campus was covered in prayer, a socially distanced embrace needed in urgent times.
Because it all comes down to people, which is what Levi and Lillis Troyer’s vision for Walnut Hills was from the very beginning.