About Us

Who is Walker Methodist?

Walker Methodist is a faith-based non-profit that owns, operates, and manages a number of senior living communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We help older adults find the perfect community to call home, and we provide healthcare, rehabilitation, and services to seniors and the people who support them.

Additionally, Walker Methodist inspires people in the field of older adult services by establishing careers that create environments that enhance the lives of the people we serve.

On January 1, 2024, Walker Methodist merged with Knute Nelson. Learn more about our merger and the new leadership team.

Mission 

Life. And all the living that goes with it. Enhancing the lives of older adults through a culture of care, respect, and service.

Vision

To be the best place to live and work.

Values

Respect | Imagination | Collaboration

Culture

Walker Methodist embraces the philosophy of servant leadership.

Characteristics of Servant Leadership

Valuing People. Value people for who they are, not for what they give the organization.

Humility. Do not promote self. Put others first.

Listening. Seek first to understand before seeking to be understood.

Trust. Give trust to co-workers and team members. 

Caring. Display kindness and concern for others.

  • Our History

    Walker Methodist is proud of its deep roots in the care of others that dates back to 1876. Predecessors to today’s Walker Methodist are Bethany Home and Harriet Walker Maternity Hospital.

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  • Bethany Home

    Between 1876 and 1930, Harriet Walker, Abby Mendanhall, Charlotte Van Cleve, and Euphemia Overlock established the original Bethany Home for unwed mothers where Walker Methodist Health Center now stands.

    1800s photo of nurses at Health Center
  • Harriet Walker Maternity Hospital

    Between 1930 and 1945, Bethany Home became The Harriet Walker Maternity Hospital and broadened its services to include married women with limited resources seeking maternity care and older women seeking board and care.

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  • Walker Methodist Home

    As needs in the community changed, Walker Methodist shifted services to older adults. In 1945, the Walker Methodist Home opened its doors following the merger of the maternity hospital with the Elim Home for the Aged.

    two elderly women playing cards
  • Building Our Minneapolis Campus

    Walker Methodist Health Center opened in 1965 and became one of the largest health care communities in Minnesota. To provide a comprehensive array of services, a new housing community, Walker Methodist Place, opened in 1983. 

    woman pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair
  • The Walker Methodist Foundation

    The Walker Methodist Foundation was established in 1975 to ensure high quality programs and services are provided for our residents and patients.

    The Foundation provides funding to support programs and services for residents and patients and for the capital needs in our housing communities. In addition, our staff is supported through the Foundation with training opportunities and a Pay It Forward Fund - an emergency assistance fund open to all employees. It is our hope to provide a lasting legacy for Walker Methodist for decades to come.

    elderly man listening to headphones
  • Walker Methodist’s Growth

    Walker expanded the continuum of care to include independent living, assisted living, care suites, skilled nursing care, memory care, affordable senior housing, physical therapy and rehabilitation, fitness and wellness programs, and adult day care. We now serve customers at additional sites throughout the Twin Cities and into Wisconsin. Here is our current list of housing communities: Plaza and River in Anoka, Highview Hills in Lakeville, Care Suites in Edina, Kenzie in St. Anthony, Lyndale in Minneapolis, Levande in Cambridge, Pioneer Manor in White Bear Lake, River Heights in South St. Paul, and Walker Place in Minneapolis, and Westwood Ridge I and Westwood Ridge II in West St. Paul.

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  • Walker Methodist Evolution

    To reflect changing consumer expectations and preferences, we adopted a new Mission statement in 2012 to guide the organization's continued service and growth: Life. And all the living that goes with it. This Mission is accompanied by updated values: Respect. Imagination. Collaboration.

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  • Walker Methodist’s Future

    In 2024, Walker Methodist merged with Knute Nelson, and together this newly merged organization will provide healthcare, housing, and rehabilitative services to more aging adults. Our combined mission of enhancing lives is a driving force to expand and grow our geographic reach and our continuum of care, beginning with home and community-based services through hospice care.

    older white woman with coffee cup