The Karlstad Chamber of Commerce held its June meeting at Karlstad Senior Living, where members received a guided tour of both the assisted living and nursing home facilities while discussing upcoming Chamber initiatives, community events, and marketing efforts.
Jena, Ashlee, Jamie, Shelby, and Holly
The Chamber extends its thanks to Jenalea and the staff at Karlstad Senior Living for hosting this month’s meeting and providing an informative tour of the campus.
Many community members may not realize that Karlstad Senior Living consists of two separate care facilities operating on one campus:
The campus has served the community for decades, with the original nursing home building constructed in 1968 and expanded in 1981. The assisted living addition opened in 2007.
Today, the assisted living facility houses approximately 15 residents with capacity for up to 24. Residents enjoy private apartments, individualized care plans, three meals per day, housekeeping, laundry services, emergency response systems, and a full calendar of activities.
One feature Chamber members found especially valuable was the facility’s respite room program, which allows families to temporarily stay or experience senior living accommodations before making long-term care decisions.
Karlstad Healthcare Center currently holds a prestigious 5-Star CMS Rating, the highest rating awarded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
This rating reflects excellence in:
The facility prides itself on person-centered care, focusing on resident preferences and individualized support.
Members learned about several services available locally, including:
The Chamber was impressed to learn that the facility rarely relies on travel or agency staffing, instead focusing on building a strong local workforce.
One of the most interesting discussions centered around Karlstad Senior Living’s in-house CNA training program.
The facility offers affordable CNA certification training locally, helping individuals enter healthcare careers without traveling long distances or paying the significantly higher costs often associated with certification programs elsewhere.
The program:
The facility also works closely with area schools through job shadowing opportunities, student visits, and healthcare career exploration.
Chamber members discussed opportunities to help educate the public about senior living options and reduce misconceptions surrounding nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Potential future community education topics include:
The Chamber looks forward to exploring future partnerships and educational opportunities with Karlstad Senior Living.
The Chamber reviewed promotional efforts surrounding Kickin’ Up Kountry weekend.
Ashlee assisted the Vendor Show committee with promotional flyers and shopping bag giveaway materials, while Shelby coordinated printing efforts.
A paid Chamber social media campaign was launched to promote:
Krista also helped promote Chamber activities throughout the weekend by driving a golf cart featuring Chamber QR codes and Vendor Show information.
The Chamber’s KUK promotional campaign generated strong engagement:
The Vendor Show promotional campaign also performed well:
The Chamber continues to see strong growth in awareness and engagement through social media efforts.
Shelby shared a creative idea designed to increase foot traffic to Chamber member businesses during Moose Fest.
The proposed concept includes:
Potential prizes could include:
The initiative would serve multiple purposes:
Ashlee offered assistance with button design and ordering. Additional planning and committee support will be needed to move the project forward.
The next Chamber meeting is tentatively scheduled for:
📅 July 14
📍 TBD
The Chamber is also exploring the possibility of inviting members of the Hallock Chamber to join the meeting and share ideas as both organizations continue working to strengthen their communities and support local businesses.
