Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community

What Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community does

Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community is a not-for-profit Christian Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) located in Waverly, Iowa, founded in 1954 from a bequest by Anna Bartels, widow of a Lutheran pastor. It operates a 20-acre main campus serving more than 300 families with approximately 250 staff, and delivers eight levels of care across five categories: independent living (Eichhorn Haus apartments, Eisenach Village townhomes, and the newer Anna Estates single-family homes), assisted living (Linden Place), memory care (Evergreen Arbor and Aspen Cottage), nursing care (Woodland Terrace), and skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Bartels-At-Home extends the service portfolio into clients' own homes with personal care, transportation, housekeeping, meals, foot clinic services, and a donation-based equipment lending program. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (chaired by Susan Whitson) and led by CEO Paula Geise, RN, MSN, with CFO Peggy Zumbach and LNHA Administrator Veronica Shea, holding Iowa state licensure and Medicaid certification.

The business model is recurring subscription-style residential fees billed monthly across multiple care tiers, with no buy-in or lease requirement at Linden Place. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with three service plans per residential community that bundle meals, utilities, housekeeping, and emergency response. A secondary revenue stream comes from charitable donations supporting the Good Shepherd Fund, chaplaincy, staff appreciation, and capital projects. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via website, phone outreach, and campus tours, with no intermediaries. Marketing emphasizes the Lutheran mission, continuum of care, residents-first philosophy, and intergenerational programming through a Wartburg College partnership.

The organization has expanded steadily over seven decades, evolving from an 11-resident home into a multi-facility CCRC through capital projects including the 1999-2002 $10 million build of Linden Place, Evergreen Arbor, and Woodland Terrace, the 2009-2023 development of Eisenach Village (92 homes), the 2019 Aspen Cottage opening, and the 2023 Anna Estates groundbreaking. It is recognized by the LeadingAge Iowa Public Trust Award and accepts donations under multiple designated funds. Bartels is privately held as a nonprofit, with no parent company, no PE/VC backing, and no disclosed M&A activity.

Name

Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community

Legal name

Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community

Website

https://bartelscommunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community is a not-for-profit Christian CCRC in Waverly, Iowa, serving 300+ families with eight levels of care across independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and in-home services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Waverly

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Residential Care Services: Monthly fees for independent living, assisted living, memory care, and nursing care services. Fees are based on apartment size and service plan level. No buy-in or lease required for assisted living.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: Accepts donations to support Christian mission including Good Shepherd Fund, General Unrestricted, Chaplaincy Fund, Staff Appreciation, and capital projects like Kitchen Remodel and Windows for Woodland Terrace.
3. Bartels At Home Services: In-home care services including personal care, transportation, housekeeping, meals, and medical equipment lending. Includes donation-based equipment lending program and public foot clinic for ages 55+.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community operates a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) on a 20-acre campus in Waverly, Iowa, providing a full continuum of care for seniors aged 55+. Services span independent living (apartments, townhomes, single-family homes), assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, and in-home care through its Bartels At Home program. The organization also operates a full-time chaplaincy, music therapy, and various support services on a not-for-profit Christian mission basis.

Product overview

Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community operates a comprehensive Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) offering 8 different levels of care across 5 care categories: Independent Living (Anna Estates, Eichhorn Haus, Eisenach Village), Assisted Living (Linden Place, Aspen Cottage), Memory Care (Evergreen Arbor, Aspen Cottage), Nursing Care (Woodland Terrace, Skilled Nursing & Rehab), and In-Home Care (Bartels At Home). The organization serves over 300 families on a 20-acre campus in Waverly, Iowa, providing a seamless continuum of care with priority admission for residents transitioning between care levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bartels At Home: In-home care services program providing quality, compassionate assistance in the safety, comfort, and convenience of home
• Eichhorn Haus
• Eisenach Village
• Anna Estates
• Linden Place
• Aspen Cottage
• Evergreen Arbor
• Woodland Terrace

Products and services

• Anna Estates Single-family homes and duplexes for active adults 55+ featuring five floor plans ranging from 1,675 to 1,900 square feet with private courtyards, trey ceilings, and 2.5-stall attached garages.
• Eichhorn Haus One- and two-bedroom apartments on the main campus for 55+ independent individuals, offering 36 units ranging from 688 to 1,376 square feet with services including noon meals, cleaning, transportation, and emergency pull cords.
• Eisenach Village Townhomes for active adults 55+ featuring six floor plans ranging from 1,137 to 1,861 square feet with single-story living, private courtyards, vaulted ceilings, and 2.5-stall attached garages. Community includes the Klubhaus community center.
• Linden Place Assisted Living Assisted living community with 28 studio, one-bedroom, one-bedroom with den, and two-bedroom apartments (413-1,216 sq ft) offering 24-hour staff, emergency nursing services, three meals daily, and three service plan options. No buy-in or lease required.
• Aspen Cottage Memory Care Assisted living memory care community with 20 individual suites featuring private bathrooms, a home-like household setting, specialized dementia training for staff, and customized lifestyle plans for early-stage memory loss.
• Evergreen Arbor Memory Care Long-term nursing care center for dementia patients featuring 22 private and 4 semi-private rooms with 24-hour nursing, full-time chaplain, music therapist, keypad security, and specialized dementia training.
• Woodland Terrace Nursing Care Long-term nursing care with private, small private, and semi-private rooms, 24-hour nursing support, music therapy, on-site rehabilitation (PT, OT, speech), and amenities including spa-like bathing rooms and outdoor courtyards. Up to 100 beds available.
• Skilled Nursing & Rehab Short-term rehabilitation services in a designated wing at Woodland Terrace providing private rooms for patients recovering from stroke, heart attack, surgery, or fractures with on-site physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
• Bartels At Home In-home care services providing personal care, transportation, housekeeping, meals, medical equipment lending, foot clinic, and downsizing assistance with donation-based equipment lending program open to the public (ages 55+).

Quantifiable outcome

• Serve over 300 families
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wartburg CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing perks for Anna Estates and Eisenach Village residents. Wartburg College students participate in intergenerational programs at Bartels. The chaplain coordinates programs involving Wartburg students, church groups, and area clergy.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bethany Life Communities: Story City, Iowa-based nonprofit senior living community offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing with a faith-based heritage. Directly comparable to Bartels in Iowa location, scale, mission, and full-continuum care model.
• Lutheran Life Communities: Multi-site Lutheran-affiliated CCRC organization in Illinois offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing with a faith-based mission. Comparable to Bartels in mission, denomination, continuum model, and nonprofit status, though larger and multi-campus.
• Western Home Communities: Cedar Falls, Iowa-based nonprofit CCRC serving the Cedar Valley region with independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on a single campus system. Directly comparable to Bartels in geography, scale, mission alignment, and continuum-of-care model, making it the closest head-to-head peer.
• Lutheran Senior Services: Missouri-based Lutheran-affiliated CCRC organization operating multiple senior living communities across the continuum of care. Comparable to Bartels in faith-based mission, nonprofit structure, and continuum-of-care service line, with broader geographic reach.
• Friendship Haven: Fort Dodge, Iowa-based nonprofit CCRC offering a full continuum of care (independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing) on a single campus with a faith-rooted mission. Highly comparable in operating model, Iowa location, and continuum-of-care positioning to Bartels.

Broad incumbents

• Atria Senior Living: Large national senior living operator offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care across more than 200 communities. Comparable to Bartels in offering assisted living and memory care at scale, though for-profit and without skilled nursing or Lutheran mission alignment.
• Brookdale Senior Living: Largest U.S. senior living operator with hundreds of independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities nationwide. Comparable to Bartels in service lines offered, though operates at vastly larger scale, is for-profit/public, and lacks Bartels' faith-based mission and skilled nursing depth.
• Acts Retirement-Life Communities: One of the largest nonprofit CCRC operators in the U.S., operating multiple life plan communities across multiple states with faith-based heritage. Comparable to Bartels as a large, established nonprofit CCRC platform, though significantly larger in scale and geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Heritage Communities: Midwest-focused senior living operator with multiple independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities across Nebraska, Iowa, and surrounding states. Comparable to Bartels in service lines and Midwestern geography, though operating as a for-profit/regional player.

Others

• Life Care Services: National CCRC management and development services company supporting many nonprofit and faith-based senior living communities. Comparable to Bartels as an indirect peer because LCS often manages CCRC operations of similar size, mission, and service model, providing a relevant benchmark for operational performance and scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Bartels1954

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community