This month we will be celebrating National Assisted Living Week September 11th –17th, with a full week of wonderful activities. Did you know that St. Ann’s was Assisted Living before the term Assisted Living was even used?
When St. Ann’s was built in 1963, it took great foresight and vision to plan our beautiful building with its
magnificent chapel, five dining rooms, social hall, large commercial kitchen, private patio, our many common areas, and a variety of apartment sizes to meet different resident needs. (All with private bathrooms.)
The underlying philosophy was as important as the carefully crafted building. Sister Aloyse Flynn, the St. Ann’s Administrator from 1966-1977, wrote “A Biographical History of St. Ann’s: The First Fourteen Years”. In it, she explains the mission to include housing the homeless, the poor and the wealthy. The original philosophy was important. The goal was that residents “were to find security and happiness free from the storms of life in a congregate setting with all environmental possibilities at their command.” This included caring for the whole person. Residents would “receive meals, have opportunities for religious worship, educational and social opportunities of creative freedom but at the same time maintain complete independence and the right to privacy.”
News media at the time called the facility Duluth’s “finest home for senior citizens of the city and surrounding area…unique in providing facilities for gracious living and comfort in the spirit of peace and independence”.
In October we will be celebrating our 53rd year on this site. We continue to focus on the resident as a whole person, using innovations in technology, and new insights into senior health and living to enhance everyday life. We are thankful for all our supporters and residents!
Jan Lappy
Director of Resident Life Services
stanns.com 