Our History

delivering innovative senior care to Michigan residents since 1906.

UMRC was founded in 1906 at a time when there was no Social Security, no such thing as a retirement community, and no safety net for older adults. In those days, the county poor house was the only option for seniors without resources. Compassionate leaders and laymen of the Methodist Church dreamed of a better way to care for “the lonely aged.”

Their idea for an innovative, nonprofit, and faith-based means of caring for older adults was visionary in its day and caught the attention of local stove manufacturer Frank Porter Glazier, who donated 33 acres from a former county fairground site for the project. In 1906, ground was broken to create the Chelsea “Old People’s Home.”

More than a century later, UMRC continues to break new ground with living options and locations that give older adults more choices, more amenities, and more support when and where they need it.

In 2019, UMRC affiliated with Porter Hills, a West Michigan-based provider of senior living communities. Porter Hills was founded in 1970 by a group of friends who set out to provide gracious living primarily for women of moderate means. This was the same kind of benevolent spirit that inspired UMRC, and it continued to drive Porter Hills as it expanded throughout the greater Grand Rapids area.

Together, UMRC & Porter Hills offers more than a dozen retirement communities in addition to delivering social and medical support services to people who wish to remain in their own homes.

Sharing a leadership team and a proven commitment to senior living excellence, UMRC & Porter Hills is united in the quest to bolster the independence and well-being of Michigan’s older adults. If you would like to learn more about our senior living communities/ request a brochure / schedule a tour you can contact us by phone or email by visiting our community directory.