Profile

History and Chronology of The Society

The Good Samaritan Society was established in 1949 and opened its first continuing care hospital in 1955.

The Society was created through the donation of Mr. Gottlieb Wedman, a Leduc farmer, who made a donation to the Lutheran Church to be used to help provide care for the elderly. Since those early days, The Society has grown considerably, and today we serve over 4400 individuals, annually.

The Good Samaritan Society is a not-for-profit registered charity, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Society is incorporated under the Society's Act of Alberta.

The Society presently has facilities in Edmonton, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Pincher Creek, Lethbridge, Magrath, Hinton, Evansburg, Medicine Hat, Rocky Mountain House and Lacombe, Alberta; and in Kelowna, Penticton, Salmon Arm, Gibsons, and Vernon, British Columbia.

Facilities are in planning stages or under construction in Stony Plain, Lethbridge, Pincher Creek, Cardston, Taber and Raymond, Alberta as well as in Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, New Westminster and Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Chronology of Society Growth

1949
Gottlieb Wedman makes a donation for the care of aging persons.

1955
Auxiliary Hospital opens with 70 beds.

1965
Mount Pleasant Care Centre opens with 182 beds.

1967
Auxiliary Hospital adds 30 beds.

1968
Stony Plain Care Centre opens with 75 beds.

1972
Stony Plain Care Centre adds 15 beds.

1977
Pineview Residence opens for 42 persons with developmental disabilities.

1980
Central Services facility opens to provide laundry, maintenance, and other support services.

1982
First community living homes are opened for disabled persons.

1983
Good Samaritan Seniors apartment opens in the Bonnie Doon neighbourhood.

1987
Telecare (formally Lifeline) emergency response service was introduced.

1988
Auxilary Hospital is entirely rebuilt for modernization.

1991
Home Support services are offered to residents who live in their own homes.

1994
Wedman House, first assisted living facility, opens with 30 beds.

1995
Mill Woods Centre, second assisted living facility opens with 60 beds.

1997
George Hennig Place in Stony Plain, an assisted living facility, opens with 30 suites.

1997
Spruce Grove Centre, an assisted living facility, opens with 30 beds.

2001
South Ridge Village opens. The village includes three dementia care cottages for 30 residents, and in the main building, 50 continuing care beds, 42 supportive housing rental suites and an adult day program.

2002
Mountain View Centre in Hinton, Alberta, opens. This complex includes 25 continuing care units, which include a five-bed dementia care cottage, 27 supportive housing suites and a day program.

Vista Village in Pincher Creek, Alberta, opens. This complex contains 55 assisted living suites and 15 supportive housing units consisting of five short-term stay suites and two five-bedroom dementia care cottages.

Mountainview Village in Kelowna, British Columbia, opens. This complex includes 37 assisted living suites and 68 independent living apartments.

2003
Pembina Village in Evansburg, Alberta, opens. This complex includes 30 continuing care beds, a 10-bed dementia care cottage and 30 supportive living suites.

Park Meadows Village in Lethbridge, Alberta, opens. This complex includes four 10-bed dementia care cottages and 45 assisted living suites.

Village by the Station in Penticton, British Columbia opens four 10-bed dementia care cottages.

2004
Village by the Station in Penticton, British Columbia opens 60 resident care beds, 35 assisted living suites and a day program.

The Manor At Royal Oak Village in Lacombe, Alberta opens 23 supportive living suites and 50 independent living apartments.

Clearwater Centre in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta opens 30 continuing care beds, a 10-bed dementia care cottage, 30 supportive living suites, 12 independent living apartments and a day program.

The Seniors Clinic in Edmonton, Alberta opens with the ability to provide community support to 1,000 clients.

2005
Hillside Village in Salmon Arm opens 75 Licensed Residential Care Beds housed in five 12-bed cottages and one 15-bed cottage.

Mount Pleasant Care Centre in Edmonton closes its continuing care program.

2006
Christenson Village in Gibsons, BC opens 50 Complex Care Beds, 60 Assisted Living Suites and 30 Cottage Care Beds.

Mountainview Village in Kelowna, BC opens Phase II of the building consisting of and additional 52 Assisted Living Suites and 15 Independent Living Apartments (Life Lease).

Pioneer Lodge in Salmon Arm, BC opens 30 Assisted Living Suites.

Magrath Community Health Centre in Magrath, AB opens 25 Assisted Living Suites and 10 Cottage Care beds.

Stony Plain Re-development - A 30-bed Dementia Care Cottage opens in Stony Plain, AB.

2007
Heron Grove in Vernon, BC opens Phase I which includes 40 Assisted Living Suites and 15 Independent Living Apartments (Life Lease).

Mountainview Village in Kelowna, BC opens 90 Complex Care Suites in Phase III of this facility.