Frankenmuth, Mich., July 12, 2012 — Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced the appointment of Kathleen Hanert to the Michigan Board of Nursing Home Administrators. In making the appointment, Snyder said the work of nursing home administrators is important to Michigan seniors. The nine-member board is responsible for determining minimal entry-level requirements for nursing home administrators in Michigan and each serves four-year terms.

Hanert has served as administrator for Lutheran Homes of Michigan's AuSable Valley Community since 2009. In addition to that role, her appointment to the nursing home board means she will represent Michigan's licensed nursing home administrators. Hanert's term will expire in 2016.

"I'm looking forward to representing the health care concerns of seniors in rural areas," says Hanert. "Being on the forefront of ensuring that all seniors, regardless of locale, will be served with the same standard of care is very important to me."

"This is a great honor for Kathie, AuSable Valley Community and Lutheran Homes of Michigan. It reflects well on her work as a nursing home administrator and her professionalism," said Maureen McGee, LHM's chief operating officer for campus-based ministries. "Serving on this board, Kathie will have a great opportunity to improve the quality of care for seniors across Michigan."

Earlier this year, AuSable Valley Community in Fairview was named among Michigan's top nursing homes by U.S. News and World Report's "Best Nursing Homes of 2012" report, which ranks the nation's 16,000 nursing homes. AVC received an overall rating of 5-stars. It was one of only seven community care retirement communities in Michigan to make the list. The facility, which merged with Lutheran Homes of Michigan in January 2011, is the second largest employer in Oscoda County. The AVC campus has been offering skilled nursing care, independent living and affordable apartments for seniors in Oscoda County since 1979.

For nearly 120 years, Lutheran Homes of Michigan has been providing services to seniors, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Grounded in faith and dedicated to helping those we serve to embrace an aging enriched experience, Lutheran Homes of Michigan champions dignity and self-respect at every stage of life. Headquartered in Frankenmuth, LHM provides a broad range of in-home services, as well as in nearly 850 independent, rehabilitation, assisted-living and skilled care residences across Michigan with the help of more than 1,000 employees. Each year, LHM services touch more than 4,000 seniors, clients, caregivers and family members. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) Christ-centered agency, LHM is one of Michigan's largest nonprofit providers of senior services with ministry sites and partners across the state.