From Humble Beginnings

 

Owned and operated by the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God, the St. John of God Retirement & Care Center is located on the former Ramsey-Durfee estate, a seven-acre property in the urban core of Los Angeles, CA.  It is listed as an essential and historical element of Southern California in the National Register of Historical Places.

 

St. John of God Care Center was founded in 1942 by the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God, a 500-year-old Order of skilled nursing providers.   For centuries they have provided care of the Pope and operate hospitals around the world.  Opening a Center in Los Angeles, allowed them to bring their unique skills and compassion to people of all faiths.

 

The Center opened with only 12 beds, but in 1951 the original hospital building was constructed enabling the Brothers to accommodate 70 residents; subsequent expansion increased the number of skilled nursing beds to 130.  In 1973, at the Care Center, the first facility in Los Angeles was designed to care for people afflicted with Alzheimer’s and related diseases.

 

Recognizing the need for a tax-exempt non-profit corporation, the Hospitaller Foundation was founded and the business of raising funds began in earnest.  An involved committee of prominent men and women of Los Angeles have been essential in the continued success of St. John of God.

In 1981 an administration and development office was dedicated and income for the latest expansion plans of the Hospitaller Brothers in Los Angeles was generated.

 

 

 

In 1989 the San Juan Grande Apartments, a 51-unit three-story independent living facility, was built.  In 1997, the Hospitaller Foundation launched a $17.4 million capital campaign to build an assisted living facility for individuals who require assistance in the tasks of daily life, but do not require skilled nursing services.  Thanks to significant grants from the Ahmanson, Burns, Disney, Doheny, Leavey, Parsons and Weingart Foundations and strong community support, the doors of the St. Richard Pampuri Residential Care Facility were opened in May of 2002.  The Brothers of St. John of God were finally able to provide the full continuum of services that individuals typically need as they progress through the later years of their lives.

 

Soon after successful completion, phase two of the fundraising project was underway, a 33-unit facility for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia.  The current Alzheimer’s unit was too small to accommodate the increasing demand for this type of care.  The new approximately $10 million facility was inaugurated in 2008 and enables the Brothers to more fully address the needs of Alzheimer’s patients.

 

The multi level Care Center in the core of Los Angeles is unique among caregivers – all levels of care are offered in a loving and professional environment that addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the individual.  With continuing efforts, the Hospitaller Foundation tries to supplement the ongoing costs of the services provided by the St. John of God Care Center.