Salmon Family

"Families caring for families - that's the tradition that my grandparents Dan and Helen Salmon have handed down to all of us," says Kate Salmon-Robinson, Vice-President of Marketing and Community Relations for the Salmon Family of Services. "Their inspiration guides everything we do to this day. We're grateful for it."

The Salmon Family of Services was founded in 1952 when Helen and Daniel Salmon, Sr., purchased the Adora Restaurant in Northborough. They moved in with their five young boys, converted it to a nursing home, and thus began a unique elder care philosophy that has set the Salmon Family organization apart for three generations.

In 1960, Dan and Helen purchased Beaumont Nursing Home (the former mansion of Paul Whitin IV) in Northbridge. Again, the family moved right in, assuming responsibility for the care of 28 residents. The family philosophy continued, with particular chores assigned to each of the Salmons. As their son Danny recalls, "There was never a choice of saying, 'No I don't want to.' We all had our jobs to do and that's what we did." Clearly, those early days in the nursing home had a positive influence on his chosen career path as a Registered Nurse.

In 1965, Danny married Dorothy McLaughlin, also an R.N., and they took over the management of Beaumont. Within five years, they'd begun a series of expansions that would eventually increase the nursing home to 154 beds. By 1980, the growing need for Adult Day Health Care was evident, and the Salmons devoted the entire first floor of the facility to meet this need.

As the demand for quality elder care continued growing, Danny and Helen found a site in Westborough and began construction of the second Beaumont nursing home, which opened in 1983, followed in 1987 by The Willows at Westborough, a premier retirement community of 202 apartments for active seniors. In addition, The Willows quickly developed one of the nation's first assisted living programs, Whitney Suites, the popularity of which led to yet another building in Westborough -Whitney Place Assisted Living Residences. (Over the next decade, similar expansion occurred in Natick and Northborough.)

By the early 1990s, a third generation of Salmons had joined the family business. Danny and Dottie's daughter Kate took on an Administrator role at Beaumont in Westborough; and son Matt, along with his wife Kimberly served as Physical Therapists in Northbridge.

Growth continued on the Northbridge campus, with Whitney Place Assisted Living Residences opening in 1995 and The Child Care Center in 1996. Having the children around every day greatly enhances the quality of life for many elders. Intergenerational activities are yet another way that the Salmon Family of Services follows through on their philosophy of "families caring for families."

After Danny's retirement in 2000, Matt assumed the role of Administer of Beaumont and Executive Director of Whitney Place at Northbridge. "The facility has undergone continuous renovation and expansion," says Matt, "and we've adapted to meet the changing needs of our clients. People are living longer and enjoying life more fully. Folks just need a helping hand - and that's what we do."

From its humble beginnings, the organization has grown to comprise more than a dozen companies on four campuses - Northbridge, Westborough, Natick, and Northborough. The Salmon companies provide specialized services across the health care continuum, from assisted living, to adult day health, to child care, to retirement living, to skilled nursing & rehabilitation. In 2001, Kate's husband Jeff Robinson founded Continuing Care Management, LLC, a new Salmon Family company that offers management, marketing, and consulting services to other senior housing and healthcare providers.

"The Salmon Family of Services has been around for a long time and has undergone many changes," says Kate Salmon-Robinson, "all of them necessary to meet the developing demands of today's society. But one thing that has never changed is our commitment to excellence, quality of care, and genuine concern for each and every resident," says Kate. "We work hard at making our communities as home-like as possible, and will do everything we can to make our residents comfortable."

It's all part of the timeless philosophy that the Salmons began more than fifty years ago.