This Year's Project: Wheelchair Scales
About Our Organization
Good Samaritan Society was founded locally 65 years ago, when a group of community members approached The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society about building a center in Beatrice to provide care and srvices to area seniors. We have served thousands of people in Gage County. In response to the needs of the community we began offering Alzheimer's and dementia care in the 1990s, assisted living care in 2002 and short term rehabilitation prior to 2004. We also provide adult day srvices and are a VA contracted facility. We employ about 130 staff members and have annual impact of $30,000,000. In January 2019, Good Samaritan Society entered into an affiliation with Sanford Health and the merge was in full effect in January 2020. This merger enables us to develop smoother, more cost-effective and human-centered ways to help older adults age in place, transition to different levels of care and live their fullest possible lives.
We serve up to 80 residents at a time in the skilled nursing facility and up to 30 in the assisted living facility. We also have adult day services available. All residents, current and future of the Good Samaritan Society, Beatrice Center will use this equipment. We weigh each resident weekly, except for the few that must be weighed daily because of diagnosis and Doctors' order. Due to the size of the current scales being larger than the wheelchairs, we must weigh the residents in a common area which potentially impacts dignity and safety. Without the help of donors, the purchase of the wheelchair in floor scales will not be possible for several years.
Current Project: Wheelchair Scales
We would like to purchase four in floor wiegh scales. The current scales are wider than a wheelchair and very large, so must be used in common areas like a hallway. Each household holds 20 residents at capacity. Each household would need a new wheelchair in floor weigh scale and they cost $6400 each, so four of them is $25,600.
Equipment - Wheelchair Therapy bike
Project Wrap Up
We received $3900.47 in donations toward our Wheelchair bike project. After theses donations and a few more from staff at Beatrice Good Samaritan, we were able to purchase the Veloplus wheelchair bike. After a long wait, we received the bike in April 2023. Our residents LOVE this purchase and we have used it several times this season. Check out our facebook page, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (Good Samaritan Society - Beatrice) for more action photos.
Project Details
Gifts will go to our Equipment Fund which could help purchase equipment such as a new therapy bicycle. The wellness and activities are so important to our residents. The bike will give them a chance to enjoy the weather in a fun way! Good Samaritan likes to do special outings and this would create a special outing for everyone involved.