Serving older adults through healthcare, housing, and community-based services.
11/24/2025
As National Family Caregivers Month comes to a close and you gather with family and friends for the holidays, you may notice changes in the health or cognition of the older adults in your life. If you’re wondering what to do next, consider reaching out to the Lyngblomsten Community Services team. They’re here to support you on your caregiving journey—listening, providing guidance, and connecting you with resources and information. Call us at (651) 632-5320, email caregiving@lyngblomsten.org, or learn more about caregiver resources and support at
Are you looking for resources or support for your caregiver role? You are not alone! We're here to guide you on your caregiving journey.
11/22/2025
Are you looking for a welcoming place with quality care to call home for yourself or a loved one? The Lyngblomsten Care Center has openings! Experience the difference of our person-centered approach and commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all those we serve. For more information, contact our admissions team at (651) 632-5301 or admissions@lyngblomsten.org or visit www.Lyngblomsten.org/CareCenter.
11/21/2025
11/21/2025
The dining room of the Lyngblomsten Apartments transformed into an art gallery for a recent display of resident artwork. We've got a lot of talented creators in our community! 🎨🧑🎨
11/21/2025
Be the light to an older adult by making a gift to the Lights of Lyngblomsten campaign! You’ll be supporting a variety of services that help Lyngblomsten's residents and participants thrive, from chaplains and arts programming to The Gathering group respite and much more. Please donate online by midnight, December 31 at www.Lyngblomsten.org/LightsDonation.
11/17/2025
Volunteers are essential for Lyngblomsten! They do many things that enrich the lives of our older adults, from visiting with residents or playing games with them to serving in our cafes, driving our bus, or accompanying residents on outings.
Are you looking for a way to spark joy in the lives of others? We have a role that's perfect for you! To learn more and see a list of opportunities, visit www.Lyngblomsten.org/Volunteer.
11/14/2025
Standing Tall! A 25-foot Nova Scotia balsam is poised and ready for its ceremonial lighting in the Nash Courtyard at our Como Park campus, thanks to the generosity of Hansen Tree Farm. Join us December 2 from 4-5 PM for the Lights of Lyngblomsten Tree Lighting Celebration.
And be sure to check out Hansen Tree Farm for a delightful holiday excursion with your friends and family!
11/11/2025
Happy Veterans Day! Honoring all who served. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who have served and continue to serve our country.
11/10/2025
To celebrate Veterans Day, we held a ceremony in the Newman-Benson Chapel that honored our residents who have served. In addition to recognizing each veteran by name, the program also included a prayer, remarks from our President & CEO Jeff Heinecke, and patriotic music to mark the occasion. Thank you to all veterans!
11/06/2025
November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor and support the incredible individuals who care for loved ones every day.
We’re grateful to the Ramsey County Library in Roseville for helping raise awareness around caregiving! Their thoughtful display features a variety of caregiver resources, including Memory Minders kits, book suggestions, and information about local caregiver groups and programs (including support groups offered by Lyngblomsten Community Services). Stop by the Roseville Library to explore these wonderful materials and discover the many resources available to support you.
For more information about our memory loss caregiver support groups, The Gathering, respite care at our Lino Lakes campus, or simply someone to talk to, please reach out to Lyngblomsten Community Services at (651) 632-5320 or caregiving@lyngblomsten.org. Additional resources can also be found at www.Lyngblomsten.org/Caregiving.
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In 1903, Anna Quale Fergstad gathered together several Norwegian women to form a literary club. Near the end of that year, Mrs. Fergstad expressed her desire for the club to take up charitable work of some sort. Thinking of a vivid picture of the snug little huts along the coast of Norway that sheltered the wives of fishermen who had lost their lives at sea, she realized that, in America, there were many older people without family or friends to care for them. They were in need of some shelter and care. How splendid and useful an undertaking for their club to give at least a few of these deserving kinsfolk a home in which they could spend their last years.
The idea took form on October 19, 1903, when the group formed an organization, the Lyngblomsten Society, dedicated toward that goal. Mrs. Fergstad was named president. The group selected the name Lyngblomsten to commemorate the national flower of Norway, the lyng.
The organization began to grow by establishing "branches" around the Upper Midwest. On February 17, 1906, they incorporated and began fund raising. In 1911 they bought land midway between Minneapolis and St. Paul. In 1912 construction of the home began at Midway Parkway and Pascal Avenue. The home opened in December of that year with 34 older Norwegians moving in.
The home operated on the concept of residents helping with chores as they were able, and receiving help at the level each person needed—very similar to how our continuing care campus works today. It is important to note, then, that Lyngblomsten did not begin as a “nursing home,” but rather as “assisted living”—a term that didn’t exist until decades later.
The Winds of Change
For several decades, the women, their daughters and granddaughters ran the Lyngblomsten Home through the sponsorship of member branches. But as women entered the workforce and had less time for volunteer work, along with increasing government regulations for board and care being established, it was no longer a feasible method.
In 1960, Lyngblomsten was reincorporated and its grounds and assets were gifted to what was then the St. Paul Conference of the American Lutheran Church. The members of the Board of Directors began coming from the churches (instead of from the branches) and staff were hired to handle the day-to-day operations. The branches were transitioned into the new Lyngblomsten Auxiliary.
Today Lyngblomsten is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and partnered in ministry with Twin Cities-area Christian churches. Lyngblomsten welcomes older adults of all faiths and nationalities.
Growing & Changing
In the early 1960s, the skilled nursing facility was added (a requirement given by the churches as a condition of forming the partnership). The next decade saw the addition of the Lyngblomsten Apartments and the Lyngblomsten Community Senior Center (known today as 2nd Half with Lyngblomsten). With heavy hearts, in 1993 the original building that housed the Lyngblomsten Home for the Aged was demolished to make way for the Heritage Apartments (market rate).
In the 1990s Lyngblomsten began developing community outreach programs (Care Team Ministry and Parish Nurse Ministry, specifically), known today as Home- and Community-Based Services. Work also began on adopting the Swedish model of care, known as “service houses,” a concept that would be modified a decade later, ushering in the neighborhood model of person-centered care. Superior Street Cottages located off campus opened in 1999.
In the early 2000s, major fundraising made way for the massive remodeling of the care center, readying the facility for “neighborhoods” and person-centered care. The shift in how care was provided took several years to fully integrate, but as an early adopter and embracing our call to innovation, Lyngblomsten soon became known as a leader in the Culture Change movement—the terminology used to describe a new era in skilled nursing care.
In 2005, our first transitional care unit opened, serving those who needed a place to recuperate between hospital and home. On the community side, our outreach programs were expanded to help support the growing number of older adults, including the launch of The Gathering. In 2006, with much fanfare, Lyngblomsten celebrated the 100th anniversary of its incorporation.
