St. Margaret's at Mercy has been part of the community since 1889 and stands as a senior living community with a deep history of attentive care, offering a mix of independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care for elders who need a little help, a lot of help, or something in between, and while the buildings are newer and kept clean with spacious rooms, most have private spaces and the layout favors small household groups, each with eight to ten beds, rather than long corridors. Skilled nurses, CNAs, and specially trained staff provide daily care for medical, emotional, and social needs, with 24-hour nursing, medicine management, and access to medical director physicians, plus therapy services like physical, speech, and occupational therapies for those who need rehab after an illness, injury, or surgery. People needing help with dressing, bathing, grooming, and activities of daily living get personal care assistants, while housekeeping, laundry, and balanced meals from the culinary team lighten the load for everyone. The grounds and buildings spread over 130,000 square feet with three outdoor gardens, game rooms, Wi-Fi, kitchenettes, exercise and fitness centers, and inviting spots like the library, chapel, beauty salon, country kitchens, and hearth rooms in each household, all designed to help people feel comfortable without being fancy.
For comfort and community, there are parties, arts and crafts, music therapy, bingo, birthday events, Mardi Gras balls, field trips, and regular social activities, so residents can join in as much or as little as they wish, and families often notice the family-like spirit from staff. Specialized programs deliver support for Alzheimer's, other dementias, and memory concerns, while the Steve Saling ALS Residence and ALS House stand out for innovative technology like eye-gaze controls for doors and TVs, so residents with ALS can keep some independence with a small, trained care team who helps with daily needs. The place offers long-term residence and short-term stays, respite care, comprehensive rehabilitation, palliative services, and even in-home hospice dedicated to end-of-life comfort and dignity; there's a pharmacy on-site for fast medicine needs, and joint programs with St. Margaret's Therapy and St. Margaret's Hospice extend care where needed.
There's no trauma center, medical school partnership, MRI, or PET equipment, but the facility does offer burn care, psychiatric care, and several specialized ICUs for different medical needs, like Cardiac, Medical Surgical, Pediatric, and Neonatal ICUs. Every day, the team keeps to practical help: transportation for doctor visits and errands, safety features around the property, meal plans and dining rooms that fit diet needs, and all sorts of room types from studios to two-bedroom, private to semi-private. They focus on keeping life pleasant, safe, and straightforward, guided by the promise of compassionate, personalized support that addresses physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. The nursing home carries a 4.1 average rating from reviews, holds The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for Nursing Care Center Accreditation and Post-Acute Care Certification, and has a reputation built slowly over many decades, which means folks often find both care and peace of mind there.
