ArchCare and Wartburg Announce Plans to Integrate in Westchester
February 3, 2026 – ArchCare, the continuing care system of the Archdiocese of New York, and Wartburg, a senior care and housing provider in Westchester County, announced today that they have entered into an agreement to integrate the operations of Wartburg’s multi-facility healthcare and senior living campus in Mount Vernon, NY, into ArchCare.
Under the agreement, which is subject to regulatory and other reviews, ArchCare has begun providing financial, operational and administrative support to Wartburg as allowed by law. Upon final regulatory approval, which is anticipated in 12 to 18 months, ArchCare will become the sole member of Wartburg’s skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living facilities and affordable housing properties under New York State nonprofit law, allowing ArchCare to fully integrate them into its ministry.
Integrating with ArchCare will ensure seamless continuity of care and services for Wartburg’s residents while respecting its distinctive Lutheran heritage, Christian values and nonprofit status. For Wartburg, becoming part of the larger ArchCare system will provide access to the wider resources, operational efficiencies, expertise and infrastructure investments needed to sustain its mission in an increasingly tenuous healthcare environment.
Founded in 1866 to care for Civil War orphans, Wartburg responded to the growing need for better care and housing for seniors with the construction of the Mary Louise Heins Home for the Aged in 1897. Over the ensuing decades, the buildings that once housed orphans were renovated or razed to make way for additional housing and facilities for seniors. Today, the 34-acre campus is home to a continuum of healthcare, housing and supportive services for seniors that complements that of ArchCare, including traditional nursing home and rehabilitative care, assisted and independent living, a medical adult social day program and a freestanding memory care center with 64 apartments for people living with dementia and other cognitive challenges. In October 2025, Wartburg broke ground for the Waltemade Residence, its second affordable building for seniors, which is slated to open in 2027 with 102 affordable apartments, including 30 supportive units for those with very low incomes
The combination will significantly expand ArchCare’s footprint in Lower Westchester County. All told, ArchCare currently cares for more than 5,000 people of all faiths daily across the 10-county archdiocese through its six skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, an extensive home care ministry and other home- and community-based programs, including a multi-site Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, that provides all the medical care, social and other services nursing home-eligible seniors would receive in a nursing home while they continue to live in their own homes.
“In Wartburg we see much more than an organization that shares our mission, values and commitment to caring for the whole person—body, mind and spirit,” ArchCare President and CEO Scott LaRue said. “We see an opportunity to continue to build on Wartburg’s strong reputation and deep community ties and to use the resources and expertise of the Church to ensure that care with Christian values remains vibrant, accessible and sustainable in lower Westchester long into the future.”
“Wartburg is grateful for the opportunity to partner with ArchCare to continue to expand our ministry while maintaining Wartburg’s Lutheran identity and values,” Wartburg President and CEO Dr. David Gentner said. “With the support of our Board of Directors and this community, we are excited to move this initiative forward on behalf of the seniors and families we serve, our employees who will benefit from a broader array of career opportunities within one of the nation’s largest continuing care systems, and of course our longstanding donors and those who volunteer with us.”
In 2022, ArchCare entered into a similar arrangement to assume the operations of the Lutheran-sponsored Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center and adjoining Eger Harbor House assisted living facility on Staten Island.
"It's a real credit to the openness and innovation, the constant searching that ArchCare has for new ministries and partnerships for people who are already doing sacred work," then-New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan said during a 2023 prayer service for Eger staff, noting that the "providential partnership between Eger and ArchCare" gave Eger "a second chance at life."
Local leaders applaud the combination as a blessing to Westchester seniors and the greater community:
City of Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said, “This affiliation will position ArchCare-Wartburg’s campus to become the most comprehensive senior care and housing provider in the region. The move strengthens our community ecosystem of services intent on reducing barriers to care, minimizing taxpayer cost, and most importantly maximizing quality of life. I am looking forward to supporting this initiative on behalf of the City of Mount Vernon.”
Judith Watson, CEO of Westchester Community Health Centers, said, “We are excited about the merger of the Wartburg continuum into the ArchCare system which will bring enhanced capabilities, more comprehensive services, and greater resources to our greater Mount Vernon residents. We also want to commend both organizations for recognizing the significant benefits of the partnership. On behalf of Westchester Community Health Center, we are looking forward to future collaborations in an effort to ensure our seniors receive access to the best possible care and services.”
About Wartburg
Nestled in Mount Vernon, NY, Wartburg stands apart with its holistic approach to senior living and healthcare. Unlike other senior care and housing communities, Wartburg offers a vibrant 34-acre campus where residents enjoy integrated services that extend well beyond typical care. Whether it is independent living, assisted living, rehabilitation or adult day care, Wartburg's continuum of care is designed to meet diverse needs with excellence. Their dedication to families extends beyond medical care, providing robust caregiver support at every stage, including programs and services provided by the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, which joined Wartburg in 2018. Recognized as one of the "Best Nursing Homes in New York State" by U.S. News & World Report for a remarkable thirteen years running, Wartburg continues to set the standard in senior care, fostering a community where well-being thrives.
About ArchCare
ArchCare is the Continuing Care Community of the Archdiocese of New York and one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic Catholic healthcare systems. ArchCare’s more than 4,000 care members provide care to more than 5,000 people of all faiths daily through a broad range of home- and community-based and residential care programs, including health plans and nursing home alternatives, long-term skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, home care, assisted living, hospice, an acute care specialty hospital for medically fragile children and young adults and specialized care for people with Huntington’s disease, HIV/AIDS, developmental disabilities and other complex care needs.
