Circa 1968, a group of area evangelical, interdenominational ministers and laypersons formed Friends of Faith Retirement Homes, Inc., and set about to create Friendship Village, a lifecare retirement community, in Waterloo, Iowa. Their goal was to provide companionable and secure living for retirees in a Christian environment. They embraced the innovative philosophy of “lifecare,” which provides for both immediate living choices, as well as potential future changes in lifestyle, all within a financial framework that protects the resident from exhausting their estate. Through the leadership of the Board of Directors, the Friendship Village organization has grown to include three distinct communities: Friendship Village, Rosewood Estate and Landmark Commons. Additionally, Landmark Place is an affiliate, and Landmark Meadows is in the early stages of development. The Friendship Village campus includes Lakeview Lodge, a contemporary assisted living community, and both The Pavilion and Lakeview Landing, which are state-of-the-art skilled nursing care facilities. All of these communities respond to the need for attractive and affordable retirement housing with supportive services designed to meet the physical and financial concerns of retirees for rewarding retirement living.
