Our History and Timeline
1968
Eskaton purchases American River Hospital, Carmichael. Members of the Sacramento-area Christian Church used the then-dormant Eskaton corporation to purchase the hospital from its physician owners. Although the corporation had no assets, the terms of the sale were such that a $25,000 loan for the down payment could be secured using the hospital’s assets as collateral — an agreement later described as “nothing down and forever to pay.”
1971
Eskaton Colusa Healthcare Center opens. President John Adams Manor, which provided low-income family and senior housing in San Diego, was Eskaton’s first experience with senior housing and senior residents. The experience proved to be very positive and stimulated Eskaton’s interest in establishing other senior living services.
1974
Eskaton Annadale Manor, Sacramento, opens.
Western Sierra HomeCare opens
“Eskaton seeks to be a community of persons committed to discovery of needs in health-care, housing and education, and to solutions characterized by quality, efficiency and concern for human worth and dignity.” – 1974 Statement of Purpose
1975
Eskaton’s Sacramento Cluster of Care grows with the construction of Eskaton Sunrise Community, Citrus Heights, Eskaton’s first multiservice community (independent living and assisted living at one location).
Eskaton purchases Doctors Hospital, Oakland, and Eskaton Monterey Hospital.
“A challenge equal to any is the growing emphasis of our communities on the need for all levels of care for Senior Citizens: 1975 has seen burgeoning activity in programming for aging, and demands upon Eskaton for leadership in skillful and thoughtful attention to this area.”- Eskaton 1975 annual report
1976
Eskaton Sunrise Community opens. Care Skilled Nursing, Facility, Sacramento, opens.
This managed community was Eskaton’s first experience with skilled nursing and therapy services.
“By the year 2000, there will be 65% more persons over the age of 75! This astonishing statistic really trumpets the direction. Eskaton has taken during 1976, The amazing growth of the Long Term Care Division this year puts a finger on the great need throughout the nation for housing to allow older persons to live in freedom and dignity, while meeting their need for companionship and security.” - Eskaton President Dallas Gladson, 1976 annual report.
1983-84
Annual Report
“The future holds one great certainty – the continued escalation of the challenge of providing services for an aging American population. Eskaton anticipated this need before most. With some pride, we can note that we are leaders in this field in Northern California, offering a great diversification of services.” – Eskaton President Dallas Gladson
1985
“Our strategic plan is to become the long term care provider in a major vertically-integrated Northern California health system.” – Lorine Aughinbaugh, Board chair, 1984 annual report
“The Long Term Care Division of Eskaton experienced another growth year. Conversion of residential care beds to 40 intermediate care beds now gives Eskaton Sunrise Community three progressive levels of care.” – 1984 annual report
1986
Eskaton Hazel Shirley Manor, El Cerrito, opens.
A year-long strategic planning process results in the Eskaton Board of Directors’ decision to leave the hospital field and focus on services to seniors:
Eskaton Care Center Greenhaven, Sacramento, purchased.
Eskaton Care Center Fair Oaks is purchased.
Eskaton President John Breaux and Linda Gordon cut the cake in celebration of the purchase of Eskaton Care Center Green-haven and Eskaton Care Center Fair Oaks.
1987
Eskaton begins planning its first multiservice retirement community,
Eskaton Village Carmichael.
The Senior Connection begins.
Patty Roberts (1), program director, and Roberta Pooley, two originals with The Senior Connection.
“In terms of change, the past year stands without equal in Eskaton’s twenty-one-year history… The statement can now be made that we are one of the primary leaders in providing services to retired and elderly people in Northern California.” – Eskaton President John Breaux, 1987 annual report
Lorine Aughinbaugh, Austin Gerber, John Breaux and Doug Gill view a scale model of Eskaton Village Carmichael.
1989
Recognizing the preference of many seniors to have access to a range of services in a single location, Eskaton moves forward with its first multiservice, campus-style, retirement community - also the region’s first licensed continuing care retirement community (CCRC) – Eskaton Village Carmichael.
1990
1990 – Eskaton Lincoln Manor, Placerville, opens.
Lassen Manor, Susanville, addition opens.
“Quality care is what Eskaton is about. Total care is the key: physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. At every level, at home or in our facilities, our service is designed to meet each resident’s unique needs by providing support and encouraging independence.” – Eskaton 1989 annual report
“Eskaton took our family from the far side of anxiety to serenity knowing our mother and stepfather were receiving the care and support services they needed. Thank you! Senior Connection…for a job well done with style, humor, dignity and such human caring.” – Excerpt from a letter written to The Senior Connection in October 1990
1992
Eskaton Village Carmichael celebrates its grand opening in December, with the first residents taking occupancy in January 1992.
“I like the idea of preserving my equity through the membership because it means there will be substantial return to my daughters.” – Lorine Aughinbaugh, charter member, Eskaton Village Carmichael, 1990 annual report
Eskaton Wilson Manor, West Sacramento, opens.
“Another market-oriented decision was to allow the lease of Annadale Manor, an assisted living facility, to expire and to embark on a study of the current needs of assisted living clients in the Sacramento area, with a view toward building new facilities on our existing skilled nursing and residential campuses in Sacramento.” – Eskaton President John Breaux,
1994
Eskaton Frank Jaconetti Manor, Colusa, opens. Eskaton acquires the Roseville property that will become its third multiservice retirement community.
We “extended our homecare services to less traditional settings. Besides caring for people in individual homes, we now provide home health services and programs to people in retirement housing facilities.” – Eskaton President John Breaux, 1993 annual report
1998
Eskaton Lassen Manor, Susanville, addition opens.
Eskaton Washington Manor, Mount Shasta, addition opens.
Eskaton Henson Manor, Sacramento, is purchased.
“Recently we decided to deliver an expanded range of services to our clients to afford them maximum enjoyment and independence while “aging in place.” Our strategy is to (1) develop multiservice, integrated retirement campuses wherever possible, and (2) seek niche opportunities where campuses are not appropriate.” – Eskaton President John Breaux, 1998-1999 annual report
2000
Regency Place, Sacramento, opens.
Eskaton Washington Manor, Mount Shasta, addition opens.
John Baltar, administrator, at the site of the Eskaton Washington Manor addition
In the summer of 2000, Eskaton’s Senior Connection and AARP produced an 80-page Caregiver Resource Guide. It continues to be updated annually.
2001
Eskaton Lassen Manor, Susanville, addition opens.
“In addition to the development of new, more modern facilities the more flexibility we can build into every aspect of our service enhances the experience of being an Eskaton resident. We strive to be the market leader in service and innovation.” - Message for Eskaton Board Chair Sharen Dowdall and Eskaton President John Breaux, 2000 – 2001 annual report
2002
Eskaton Grass Valley Opens.
Eskaton Village Grass Valley was designed to accommodate seniors who wish to combine maintenance-free homeownership with apartment living and assisted living options in a multiservice retirement community setting. Eskaton Village Placerville and Eskaton Village Roseville replicated this model.
2005
Eskaton Companionship Plus program opens.
“The Eskaton difference is that, instead of building the same “cookie-cutter” communities that satisfied many seniors of past generations, we continually explore the preferences of not only the current but future, generations, who have a different concept of retirement.” – Message from Eskaton Board Chair Leeland King and Eskaton President Todd Murch, 2006 – 2007 annual report
