ruth901
More than 100 guests came to the senior center's anniversary celebration. Two decades of care and commitment were honored. A special ceremony.
Schlitz – The anniversary celebration for the 20th anniversary of the Schlitzerland senior center took place in the Auerhahn Hall in the Hahnekiez and was opened by the festive sounds of the accordion orchestra of the Schlitz music school under the direction of Susanne Behounek. More than 100 guests accepted the invitation, as the Eichhof Foundation Lauterbach announced.
Thomas Faust, board member of the Eichhof Foundation, welcomed those present and opened the official celebrations together with facility manager Klaus Schaefer. Among the guests were the board of trustees, led by Dr. Gerhard Schlitt, also employees of the company, representatives of the works council and numerous guests of honor from politics, church and society.
The Schlitzerland senior center is celebrating its 20th anniversary
Those present included District Administrator Dr. Jens Mischak, the Schlitzer Mayor Heiko Siemon (who was recently accepted into the board of trustees of the Eichhof Foundation), Honorary Mayor Hans-Jürgen Schäfer and Pastor Melanie Plant from the Schlitz Protestant Community. Representatives from the healthcare sector, general practitioners, nursing schools and local associations were also represented.
In his speech, Thomas Faust paid tribute to two decades of care, responsibility and commitment to the residents of the Schlitzerland senior center. He particularly emphasized the achievements of the employees, who have been supporting the residents with heart and professional expertise for 20 years.
The Schlitz location, as part of Eichhof Pflege gGmbH and a subsidiary of the Eichhof-Stiftung Lauterbach, offers, in addition to the seniors' facility, a comprehensive healthcare offering with the outpatient care service “Social Station Eichhof” and the “Vogelsberg Living Spaces”. According to the board, this unique selling point will continue to be developed in the future.
Facility manager Klaus Schaefer looked back on the development of the Schlitzerland senior center. In a presentation he showed the change from the former “Hospital Schlitzerland” to a modern senior care facility. Courage, foresight and technical know-how laid the foundation for this success story.
Long-time employees honored
The history of the house is characterized by structural extensions, assisted living, qualification as a training company and a wide range of social care offerings, including innovative concepts such as animal-assisted therapies. The close cooperation with the city, the neighborhood support association We in Schlitz as well as the networking with daycare centers, schools and clubs contributed to the high quality of life and firmly anchored the house in the community.
Today the facility offers 68 fully inpatient care places and nine apartments for assisted living. With 68 employees from nursing, support, housekeeping, technology and administration, it is an important part of regional healthcare. Klaus Schaefer expressly thanked the entire team for their commitment.
As part of the celebration, four long-standing employees were honored for 20 years of service, including Klaus Schaefer himself, nursing service manager Karin Vollmöller, Heidi Becker and Sigrid Müller. Dr. Gerhard Schlitt, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, spoke in his speech about the social challenges of aging.
Issues such as illness, need for care and loneliness are increasing while family structures are changing. “The classic extended family no longer exists,” emphasized Dr. Sledge. Facilities like the Schlitzerland senior center therefore have a central social task. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees appealed to politicians that quality of life in old age should not fail due to costs or a lack of staff.
In his welcoming speech, Mayor Heiko Siemon emphasized the close connection between the city and the Eichhof Foundation's facilities. The senior center in particular is an indispensable part of the local infrastructure and stands for care and humanity. As a sign of recognition, he presented a picture of the city to facility manager Klaus Schaefer.
Facility advocate reads personal memories
District Administrator Dr. Jens Mischak praised the house as an important part of the supply landscape in the Vogelsberg district. In view of an aging society, the shortage of skilled workers and rising costs, support from politics and society is essential. He praised the commitment of the Eichhof Foundation as a private sponsor for taking over the former hospital and developing it into a modern care facility.
Further greetings came from Pastor Melanie Plant, who promoted respectful and appreciative cooperation, and from the works council chairwoman of Eichhof Pflege gGmbH, Karin Runge, who emphasized the special importance of nursing work: “Nursing is not suitable for working from home.” She said to the employees: “You all make this place come alive.”
Norbert Schäfer from the city of Schlitz's senior citizens' advisory board also joined in the congratulations. Eva-Maria Müller, board member of the professional association of private providers of social services (bpa) in Hesse, conveyed her association's congratulations and presented a certificate. A particularly emotional moment was the reading of personal memories from the facility's advocate, Werner Plant, who expressed his deep gratitude to the facility and its employees.
The official part of the celebration ended with the opening of a picture exhibition showing milestones from 20 years of development, life and work in the Schlitzerland senior center. With musical accompaniment from the accordion orchestra, the event ended in a festive atmosphere – a worthy look back on two decades of dedicated care and a confident outlook into the future.
