St Luke Lutheran Community Portage Lakes sits on the quiet shore of South Turkeyfoot Lake in Akron, Ohio, and offers a full range of senior living services, including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Short Term Rehabilitation, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing Care, and Long-term Care, so folks can find help that matches their needs all in one place. Founded in 1988 as a nonprofit faith-based community and run by a board of directors, with Dr. John Spieler as CEO and Ron Kyle as board chair, this facility stays focused on enriching the lives of older adults with care that touches on physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs, all with a steady commitment to respect and compassion. The grounds are peaceful, with a Main Street-style common area, walking paths, a garden, a community library, and indoor and outdoor spots where residents can gather, read, or visit with friends, and there's a barber and beauty salon, too, so folks can use all kinds of services without having to go far. The facility has 56 Skilled Nursing rooms, out of which 16 are available in June of 2025, plus 15 Assisted Living apartments, so different levels of care are easily covered, and skilled staff made up of licensed nurses, therapists, and support staff stay onsite to help with everything from medication management and activities of daily living-bathing, dressing, moving around-to more complex needs like diabetic care, memory care for Alzheimer's and dementia, incontinence care, or hospice care, all monitored with a 24-hour call system for supervision and peace of mind.
At St Luke Lutheran Community Portage Lakes, residents join a familiar, home-like CCRC where they can take part in daily activities, some run by staff and others by the residents themselves, including scheduled programs, offsite trips, church or devotional events, movie nights, and community-sponsored activities intended to keep everyone connected and active socially, physically, and emotionally. Meals here are prepared with an emphasis on good nutrition, helping folks get the right balance of vitamins and minerals, and there's help for those who need it at mealtime. Therapy services-physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory-are given as needed, with programs aimed at keeping people moving, managing pain, or improving function, whether someone's there for short-term rehabilitation after an illness or needs long-term support. The community accepts Medicare and Medicaid and holds nonprofit status under EIN 03-0483122, so affordability for many is possible. St Luke's lakeside setting helps create a calm and safe space where residents and their families can feel at ease, and the staff is trained to offer care, support, and a listening ear at each stage of aging-whether someone is living independently, working through therapy, or in need of specialized care. The facility is about twenty minutes from Downtown Akron or Belden Village, and it's close to Portage Lakes State Park for those who like a bit of nature nearby. The focus stays on providing personalized plans and a sense of belonging, all guided by the faith and dedicated mission that the St. Luke Lutheran Community has followed for decades.
