Preventive Services Covered by Private Health Plans under the Affordable Care Act

St. John's Celebrates 125 Years Of Enriching The Lives Of Rochester's Older Adults

Robert Earl

St. John's has remained a staple in the Rochester community for more than a century and its leaders say that's because the organization stays true to its mission and vision.

"Our singular purpose is to enrich the lives of those we serve and employ," said Robert Earl, St. John's executive vice president of finance/chief financial officer and its incoming president and CEO.

He noted that the organization is mission-driven while focused on innovation.

That innovation includes new services for older adults and expanding the demographic it serves, with plans for a pediatric care program as part of a new partnership with the University of Rochester Medical Center.

The changes are taking shape as St. John's celebrates a milestone year — its 125th anniversary — with a birthday party that was scheduled for Nov. 21 in honor of the occasion. The party included scheduled speakers including Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello along with musical performances from the RPO.

Founded in 1899, St. John's Home was located on Lake Avenue before it moved to the Ellwanger Mansion near Highland Park in 1900. (Photo provided by St. John's)

Founded in 1899, St. John's Home was established by a collection of Rochester German-speaking Lutheran and Congregational churches to help ensure that their aging and vulnerable members would receive good care.

Following the example of St. John, they created Altenheim of the Johannes-Stift (Home for the Elderly of the St. John's Association).

Many of that population served were women who came to Rochester working as domestics for families whose heads of household worked for Bausch + Lomb. A number of these women were later buried in a portion of Mount Hope Cemetery that was acquired by St. John's and its supporting Lutheran churches.

When St. John's began to outgrow its original Lake Avenue location, horticulturist George Ellwanger donated his mansion near Highland Park in 1900.

St. John's has evolved since then.

Today, St. John's offers a comprehensive continuum of care services, including skilled nursing, rehabilitation and memory care across four facilities – St. John's Home, Brickstone by St. John's, St. John's Meadows and St. John's Penfield Green House Homes.

With a team of 744 employees, St. John's serves hundreds of residents daily, providing supportive and compassionate care.

In addition to its milestone anniversary, St. John's is undergoing leadership changes, with Charlie Runyon — its president and CEO for more than 20 years — retiring in February and Earl succeeding him.

Earl came to St. John's in 2012 as controller after nearly five years managing the finances for the Monroe County Department of Health and Human Services. He began assuming leadership duties as part of the transition this year. Prior to his role with the county, Earl worked in the manufacturing sector, with finance roles at Nalge Nunc International and Dresser-Rand.

Runyon served as St. John's president and CEO since 2001 but has been with the organization since 1993.

During Runyon's tenure, St. John's experienced its greatest period of growth, adding St. John's Meadows in 1996, Penfield Green House Homes in 2011 and Brickstone by St. John's in 2014.

Jennifer Lesinski

Jennifer Lesinski, St. John's vice president of marketing, said the demand for long-term care continues to rise and the organization continually assess what services are needed to best meet the needs of the community.

The organization continues to innovate, she noted, with the development of a new dementia resource center and a strategic partnership with URMC aimed at filling community health care service gaps.

The collaboration with URMC, announced in May, will address key challenges in the community, including regional hospitals that routinely operate above licensed bed capacity because of a shortage of available long-term care beds and community services gaps impacting health care delivery.

One focus is on sharing expertise, networks and resources from the two organizations. Each organization remains a separate and independent operating entity.

Major components of the collaborative agreement include a modest investment by URMC to help St. John's open more skilled care beds and to expand service offerings in community high-needs areas, such as a chronic dialysis unit and pediatric skilled care.

St. John's, like other long-term care providers, has its challenges, as well, including long standing financial and workforce challenges that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earl said the organization has been able to weather financial issues, such as stagnant government reimbursement rates for programs such as Medicaid, with "grit, resilience and effective leadership."

St. John's offers competitive compensation packages and opportunities for advancement to help address staffing challenges, he added.

Mike Waters, chair of St. John's Board of Directors, noted the organization's track record of serving its residents.

"There are generations of experience that point to St. John's focus on putting the needs of residents and families at the forefront of decision-making," Waters said. "The leadership has demonstrated time and time again its ability to implement cutting-edge innovation that moves the organization and the industry forward."

[email protected] / (585) 653-4021

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