Missions United

Missions United is first and foremost a Christian community. Our mission is God's Mission; the work of healing a broken world, the work of healing the sick, and binding up the broken hearted. This mission is accomplished through serving Christ by creating abundant life opportunities and providing quality services to seniors. (Continued on Schedule O)Missions United, Inc. opened Mission Ridge, Montana's first state of the art CCRC in Billings, on January 5, 1998. In October 2016, it opened its second community, WyndStone, in Billings Heights. Missions United, Inc. is an expression and extension of the church's mission. In public worship and in private settings, the following events happen: God's saving word is proclaimed, the Sacraments are administered, prayers and devotions are offered, pastoral care and counseling is provided, and works of charity and benevolence are offered. The goal of both the Mission Ridge and WyndStone communities is to provide housing, as well as health and financial security for our elders, while simultaneously preserving their privacy and self-sufficiency to the fullest extent possible. The Mission Ridge senior living community consists of 120 independent living apartments and 62 assisted living apartments, while WyndStone has 51 independent living and 32 assisted living apartments. In conjunction with the existing long-term care facility (St. John's United), Missions United residents receive priority access to a full continuum of care. Missions United is providing for the physical, spiritual, social, and emotional wellbeing of its residents by offering housing in an environment designed specifically for their needs. Missions United residents are guided and nurtured through life's housing and healthcare transitions, lessening the hardship and crisis for themselves and their families. Financial security is being provided to the residents of the community by offering quality services to residents at the lowest possible cost. Missions United has adopted a policy, set forth in the Residency Agreement, providing financial assistance to residents who become unable to pay their monthly service fee or other charges. No residents have been, or ever will be, discharged because of an inability to pay. Existing resident deposits are available to assure such financial assistance will be available. The average deposit on a Missions United/WyndStone apartment on December 31, 2022 was about $114,000. That is just 33% of the current median single family homes sale in Billings of $351,000 (Billings Association of Realtors). Missions United contracts for and provides access to a continuum of long-term care services available to elderly residents of middle class financial means. A long-term care benefit is offered to all independent living residents to assist in preserving financial security. The benefit provides $500 per month for three years if transition occurs to assisted living and $750 per month for three years if transition occurs to skilled nursing services (total maximum benefit of $18,000). During 2022, 22 residents who required either assisted living or skilled nursing care received $96,588 in long-term care benefits. From date of inception (1998), residents have received $2,287,278 in long-term care benefits. Missions United is not just an expression and extension of the church; it is the church at work in this place and in the world. In our 24th year, Missions United provided many community benefits. Included in our effort to promote benefits to our residents and provide service to others in the world were the following:1. Invest in a community benefit tracking software that will help better define, track, and store all of our efforts, costs, and people served as a benefit to the larger community. Missions United provided $725,698 of community benefit to 26,254 people in 2022.2. $197,610 was distributed equally to the sponsors to support the charity care and Medicaid services that the sponsors provide to low-income elders and other marginalized elders. 3. Missions United has intentionally not fully occupied its assisted living apartments to keep two respite rooms available to serve area seniors for short periods of time while long-term decisions can be made. Mission Ridge and WyndStone provided respite care for about 890 days in 2022, resulting in a loss of revenue of about $25,000 for the days they remained open. Missions United pays bed hold fees totaling $36,500 annually to maintain availability to other levels of care via the St. John's Continuum of Care. In addition, beginning in 2022, Missions United has committed $250,000/year to assure that those who have run out of resources and rely on Medicaid will have a place in the St. John's continuum of care should they need memory or skilled nursing care.4. Staff encourages and facilitates the residents to volunteer in the community via formal programs, sponsorship, and transportation.5. The 2022 Summer Concert held its 24th season on the Missions United/St. John's campus. We hosted over 12,000 people as we provided six community events at no charge to our residents, friends, and neighbors! During our concerts we raised $1,380.00 for resident care needs through free-will offerings. 6. Provided space to other organizations as needed in 2022 groups such as Big Sky Senior Services, retired teachers, non-denominational worship and bible studies, Billings Public Library, Arrowhead school events, recitals, Sons of Norway, Billings Public Schools, MSU Art/Music Departments.7. Peace Lutheran Church provides a community food pantry and is supported by a drop box" donation site at Mission Ridge. Residents and staff are able to donate food items, which are then distributed to the community through Peace Lutheran Church. 8. In 2022, Missions United provided free health assessments, education, and/or guidance to approximately 2,239 seniors and their families including information about our services beyond that of Missions United. This guidance helps their understanding and preparation for senior living and their understanding of other benefits available to them such as Veterans Aid and Attendance, Medicaid Waiver, Medicare A, B, and D, and/or improving their current situation by identifying opportunities and health needs while still living at home. Once residents, they find additional comfort in the fact that they have a plan for their future when their medical needs change.