As Eger Lutheran Homes and Services celebrates 25 years with The Chamber, Organization Remains Responsive to the Diverse Needs of the Community
If you’re driving down Rockland Avenue through the Greenbelt, you may not notice the 22-acre site of Eger Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc. Though it may be hidden among the trees, this hasn’t stopped Staten Islanders from finding the facility when they’re looking for quality health care services.
As Eger Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc. celebrates 25 years of membership with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, many people may not be aware the company’s history dates back over 100 years.
Carl Michael Eger, who was born in Norway, decided to look out for his fellow countrymen by leaving two houses in Brooklyn to create a supportive residence for older Norwegian men and women in reduced circumstances. That initiative led to his sister and longtime pastor creating the Carl Michael Eger Norwegian Home for the Aged, Inc., which was incorporated in 1916 and consisted of a house, 12 residents, a matron, and a part-time custodian.
Eger moved to its current location -- which formerly housed the Aldrich Farm Community on Lighthouse Hill -- in May of 1926 before the Eger Board saw the need to expand services during the early 1960s. Conceived by Sverre Ulvestad (Eger's Administrator from 1964-1982), that vision became a reality when construction started on the 336-bed Tower in 1968, and the first residents arrived on April 20, 1971.
Currently, Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center can accommodate up to 378 people. The center consists of 98 beds for patients requiring short-term restorative rehabilitation and sub-acute post hospital care prior to their return home. Meanwhile, 280 beds are designated for residents who call Eger home as their chronic illnesses and disabilities limit them from returning safely to their former residences.
Eger expanded in 2004 with the Eger Harbor House, a New York State-licensed, 75-bed Medicaid Assisted Living Program. Each resident is provided with a private one-bedroom studio apartment supported by nursing supervision, access to personal care assistance 24 hours/day, three meals a day in a dining room, enriched activities, housekeeping, maintenance, and an on-site laundry.
Resource Development was formerly achieved by the Eger Foundation but is now operated through the parent corporation, Eger Lutheran Homes and Services Development Office. The primary function of Resource Development is to secure contributions and grants which are invested in Eger’s programs and services to facilitate an enhanced quality of life for those served at the Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center and Eger Harbor House.
Another vital service in the Eger complex is the Addeo Hospice Residence, an eight-bed residential style home where professionals trained in end-of-life care bring compassion and comfort to patients and their families. The residence opened on the campus in 2012 and is operated by Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell/University Hospice.