About Us

Our History

Over the years of his pastoral work in Elk Horn Lutheran Church, Rev. Anders Hansen recognized a profound need in the community for loving, nurturing and quality care for the aging members of the area. He dreamt of a home where they could truly enjoy a life with Christian dignity, built on love and overflowing joy. Working diligently with 14 other congregations in the area, his dream was actualized in 1932 with a $3,000 donation and the beginning of Salem Lutheran Homes.

As an affiliate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, Salem is built on the foundational Christian belief in the dignity of life while providing experienced, licensed and certified care that all of our residents love.

Located in the scenic Danish Village of Elk Horn, Iowa, our senior housing community feels like home. In an atmosphere of comfort, compassion and community, our staff places an emphasis on service with humility to the point where caring for others has become a way of life. In this way, we are passionate about what we do, and because Salem is so much more than a business, we are able to deliver the highest quality outcomes of any long-term care facility in the area.

With an astounding variety of activities, facilities and available professionals, we have grown quite a bit since our first days over 80 years ago. Our 24-hour skilled nursing team and Alzheimer’s care experts combine with a comprehensive professional team in order to provide you with a versatile, passionate and qualified staff that is equipped to handle your loved one’s changing and demanding health care needs.

In addition to their physical health, our residents’ mental, emotional and spiritual health is an essential piece of our work. In this way, we offer music, daily Chapel, Sunday Worship services, Bible Study, games, intergenerational programs, crafts, discussion groups and so much more. We believe that each resident should not be limited by their surroundings in order to continue to enjoy the hobbies and interests they had before coming to us.

While all of these have been essential to us since the beginning, we have steadily grown into a community that is able to truly provide for the needs of our residents, we offer rehabilitation services, innovative programs, and so much more in order to encourage creativity, independence and dignity. And we aren’t stopping there.

With expansion projects and dedicated staff, Salem Lutheran Homes & Rehabilitation Center is always looking for new ways to help all of our residents. Contact us today to learn more about our history and our mission, and see how we can help you or your loved one.