Good Samaritan Society Cuts UTI Rates 47% in Rural Seniors

Good Samaritan Society just proved that exceptional senior care can thrive in rural America, cutting dangerous urinary tract infections by 47% while bringing services to thousands more families.

The nonprofit organization serves more than 70% of its residents in rural areas across America's heartland, where access to quality senior care can mean traveling hours from home. In 2025, they didn't just maintain care. They transformed it.

The biggest health win came from tackling urinary tract infections, a common and serious threat to seniors. From July 2023 to December 2025, Good Samaritan dropped UTI rates from 5.12% to 2.69%. That translates to hundreds of seniors avoiding painful infections, hospital stays, and complications.

The organization also expanded virtual care to 27 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in South Dakota through Sanford Health's My Care Line program. Now caregivers can connect with registered nurses and advanced practice providers during evenings, weekends, and overnight hours when help is hardest to find.

Safety improvements reached beyond infection control. Good Samaritan launched daily safety meetings at all locations and introduced an advanced event reporting system. Teams from Sanford Health Equip even brought walker tune-ups directly to nine locations, helping prevent falls before they happen.

Thirty Good Samaritan locations raised $10,000 each through a matching grant challenge, earning an additional $10,000 from the Good Samaritan Foundation. That's $600,000 in total funding going directly to programs that benefit residents.

The organization earned recognition through 8 Silver Achievement in Quality awards and 41 Bronze Commitment to Quality awards from the American Health Care Association. These national honors recognize organizations meeting rigorous performance standards.

The Ripple Effect

When rural seniors get quality care close to home, entire communities benefit. Families avoid crushing commutes to visit loved ones in distant cities. Local jobs get created and sustained. Small towns keep their elders woven into community life instead of losing them to faraway facilities.

Good Samaritan's nurse orientation program launched in 2025 addresses the workforce shortage head-on, improving retention while enhancing patient outcomes. Leaders also traveled to Capitol Hill advocating for the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, which would help recruit internationally trained nurses to fill gaps.

Construction continues on Founder's Crossing in Sioux Falls, a full-continuum senior living community opening in 2026. It will offer everything from independent living to memory care, rehabilitation, and home services under one roof.

"Providing exceptional care to those we serve is the foundation of Good Samaritan's purpose," said Nate Schema, president and CEO. His team of dedicated staff members makes it happen daily, like Leanne Atwood, RN, who earned National Ever Forward Leader Champion honors in 2024.

Quality senior care in rural America isn't just possible—it's flourishing.