News/Events
Lutheran Home Foundation Receives $300,000 Grant for Elevator and Fire Safety Upgrades!
The Lutheran Home Foundation found out today that our grant request of $300,000 is going to be fully funded by City of Wauwatosa’s Community Development Block Grant. This grant will fund approximately 90% of the expense of the required elevator and fire safety project.
Why is This Project Required?
Under new regulations, we are obligated to make a number of improvements to four existing elevators in order to conform to the requirements which are outlined in the Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators.
In the case that the Wauwatosa Fire Department had to respond to a call at the Lutheran Home, the firefighters would not be able to take strategic control and routing of our elevators to perform adequate rescue or suppression activities. To become compliant with the new code, several up¬-grades will be needed, at a cost of approximately $330,000.
Why is Grant Money Needed?
The Lutheran Home’s mission is to provide the best care for our residents regardless of their ability to pay. Today, over half of our long-term residents have outlived their financial re¬sources. The only financial support the Lutheran Home receives for these residents is through Medi¬caid payments, which fall more than $100 short of the cost of care for each of these residents, every day. In 2010 alone, the Lutheran Home absorbed almost $4 million in unreimbursed care for our residents who rely on Medicaid.
Without this grant support for these fireproofing projects, these expenses would come directly out of operating funds, limiting the amount of charity care that we are able to provide
Receiving this grant award is the result of a lot of hard work and prayers! What a great combination!
$20,000 Donation Received to Update the Lutheran Home Beauty Shop
In memory of residents Joseph and Bunny Kuzma, the family made a donation of $20,000 to give the beauty shop a facelift. This project was selected by the children of Joseph and Bunny’s.
They donated the money to us because they remain very grateful for the care both of their parents received at the Lutheran Home and Harwood Place. The family knows that the Beauty Shop is enjoyed by many and wanted to sponsor a project that could directly improve the lives of our residents.
The project planning has already begun and should be completed this year!
More About Joseph and Bunny
Joseph Kuzma was a Lutheran Home Adult Day participant from 1998 to 2000, when he then moved into the Lutheran Home for skilled care. Joseph passed on October 17, 2000 at age 85.
Bernardine “Bunny” Kuzma moved into an apartment at Harwood Place around 2005. In 2006 she moved to our Assisted Living area at Harwood Place. In October of 2009, Bunny moved into our Memory Care Assisted Living at the Lutheran Home. She found eternal peace on September 17, 2010, at age 93.
Joseph was a pathologist for the old Milwaukee County Hospital (now known as Froedtert and the Medical College) and Bunny stayed home to raise their eight children in Wauwatosa.
Memories in the Making Program
Lutheran Home is now 1 of 14 organizations in southeastern Wisconsin trained to offer the Memories in the Making® program.
“Alzheimer’s dementia brings with it a constant reminder of failures and losses. The Memories in the Making® Art program uses art to express trapped emotions and feelings inside. The ensuing sense of accomplishment brings renewed joy and self-respect to the patient or resident.”
