News

Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina Receives LTC & Senior Living LINK Spirit of Innovation Award
Winners will be honored and present an innovation case study at the 2013 LINK Conference this July.

May,2013 – Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina is proud to announce that it has earned a Spirit of Innovation Award, as part of the ninth annual LTC & Senior Living LINK Conference. This award recognizes companies for their innovation, dedication to continuous improvement, development of best practices, and commitment to the success of the long term care and senior living industry.

“The goal of the Spirit of Innovation Award is to celebrate and foster innovation – both big and small – and help advance business productivity in long term care and senior living. This year’s winners have not only changed ‘business as usual’ and helped their organizations become more agile, efficient, and successful, but also demonstrated a willingness to share their great ideas with others in support of the LINK mission,” said Bailey Beeken, Managing Director of the LINK Conference.

Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina will present a case study of their program at the 2013 LTC & Senior Living LINK Conference this July 22-24 at the Sheraton Chicago. LINK is teeming with real-world, successful initiatives from long term care and senior living providers and covers the timeliest and most topical industry issues – addressing the full scope of providers’ business needs.

Celebrating the past. Serving seniors today. Preparing for the future.

Written by Katherine R. Ligon, President & CEO:

In 1954 Presbyterian Home of SC, now doing business as Presbyterian Communities of SC (PCSC), was organized as a ministry of the Presbyterian churches in South Carolina. Twenty residents moved into the first community in Summerville in 1958. The Summerville Community, now known as The Village at Summerville, currently sits on 37 acres of land  generously provided by Dr. and Mrs. Jack Rhodes and the late Mr. and Mrs. George Segelken. The foresight of the trustees of Presbyterian Home to accept land in the beautiful low country of the state on which to build its first retirement community has proven to be prudent. The campus now includes 93 independent apartments and patio homes, 99 residential/assisted living accommodations and 86 rooms in the health center (skilled nursing beds). The land on which The Village at Summerville is situated has been well-used, but there is very little land available, and some of the buildings are in need of updating.

 The Board of Trustees are pleased to announce that in early September 47 additional acres of land, adjacent to The Village at Summerville, were purchased, more than doubling the size of the campus!

This land purchase was made possible, in large part, by a most generous gift to the Presbyterian Communities Foundation from the Estate of William C. Wylie, formerly of Rock Hill. The first step in moving forward will be developing a master plan of The Village at Summerville, incorporating the newly purchased property. An architectural firm specializing in senior living will be developing this plan over the next several months. Having additional land will allow PCSC to build new buildings, relocate some of the current residents, and then re-purpose the older buildings for new residents. This method of expansion will protect the current residents by allowing them to remain in their current accommodations, considerably reduce inconveniences and allow services to continue. It will also eliminate lost revenue from having to vacate accommodations for refurbishing.

The Village at Summerville has been undergoing a “face-lift” over the last several years in both the public spaces and individual accommodations. But as expectations for new residents change, some things just need to be rebuilt. Upon completion of the master plan, it will be reviewed and studied by the Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees. The most pressing needs of The Village at Summerville will be identified, and decisions will be made on the best uses of the new property. PCSC expects to remain the premier retirement community in this area.

The Board of Trustees continues to lead with vision and commitment to strengthening and expanding the mission of Presbyterian Communities by investing in this additional property. As Roland Harper, Board member from Rock Hill stated, “This action will ensure the continuation of growth at The Village at Summerville and the future needs of those we serve.”