Today, the non-profit health and human service ministry – affiliated with the East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences of the United Methodist Church – serves more than 3,000 people annually. Otterbein has five full-service senior communities, nine skilled nursing and rehabilitation neighborhoods, a home health agency and a hospice ministry — all serving communities throughout Ohio.
“We face forward with faith, knowing that our growth is in service. We’ve grown from a simple home for the aged and orphaned to a national leader in senior living,” said Jill Hreben, President and CEO. “Otterbein is not just a few buildings. Nor is it just a business. Otterbein is a ministry, and it’s our privilege to answer the call — to enhance the lives and holistic growth of elders — with passion and with love.”
Otterbein Lebanon is located on 1,400 acres and is the largest senior community in the Dayton-Cincinnati region with 440 independent living residences (with another 110 under construction or soon to be under construction), 38 assisted living suites and availability for 256 nursing residents.
“The spirit of Otterbein is something that is felt as soon as you enter any of our ministries. It cannot be put into words easily, but it’s a feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself,” explained Kathleen Geers, AVP of Marketing and Communications.
New-urbanism town planners are helping capture that spirit with a long-term land development plan for much of the undeveloped 1,400 acres located north of Ohio 63 and east of Ohio 741 – a plan that includes leveraging the property in a mixed use and multi-generational village over the next 25 to 40 years. This community would be known as Union Village, the original name for the Shaker property.
“With the continued expansion and growth of residential, education, health care and business opportunities throughout Warren County, it is inevitable that the land owned by Otterbein will be in great demand over time,” Geers said.
Architects focused on a new design movement which promotes walkable neighborhoods containing a variety of housing and job types. Otterbein Lebanon already has seen significant development in recent years.
In 2012, Otterbein Lebanon opened a new life enrichment center with 24 independent living apartments, the Otterbein YMCA operated by Countryside YMCA, an indoor walking track, sports club, indoor swimming pool and hot tub.
Construction of The Orchards at Otterbein is underway. Geers said the 26 single-family ranch homes combine “a distinctive new urban feel” with “the romanticism of historic architecture with innovative floor plans.”
This spring a new building, Terrace Place, is scheduled to open, adding 46 independent living one- and two-bedroom apartments with private balconies, below building parking and an array of amenities located in the apartment building.
Additionally, groundbreaking on a five-story apartment building is expected later this year and will feature 45 single bedroom apartments, a woodshop, bistro, art studio and loom room, gift shop, beauty salon, barber shop, library and reading center and a small theater.
“We are excited about the new construction at Otterbein Lebanon. We have little doubt the new investments will allow us to serve and provide upscale amenities to many more residents and meet a much needed demand,” said Bill Wexler, executive director at Otterbein Lebanon.
Other Otterbein expansion projects in southwest Ohio include the addition of two “small house” nursing neighborhoods. The “small houses” are designed to de-institutionalize traditional nursing home and rehabilitative care standards. Each neighborhood includes five ranch-style houses, 7,400 square feet in size.
Each Otterbein “small house” is home to 10 residents and includes private suites, a large communal living, dining and kitchen area with home-cooked meals and in-home rehabilitative care. The Susan F. McConn Neighborhood in Union Twp. in Clermont County opened at the end of 2015, and a similar neighborhood will open this spring near Loveland.
“Otterbein will continue to expand and modernize the community, as well as expanding home health care and hospice care for residents and the local community,” Geers said.
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