Our History

Loretto Rest opens with 100 initial residents cared for by the Sisters of the Third Franciscan Order, who would continue this until the 1970s.

The Loretto Guild is formed in 1946 by a group of civicminded women dedicated to enhancing the lives of the residents through their volunteer efforts and financial support. It is still very active today.

The Diocese broke ground for a wing at Loretto Rest to be called Pius X and provide care for retired priests. It was the first of its kind in the United States.

Loretto becomes active in Federal and state issues, helping found the American Association for the Aging, and the passage of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act, which would set the stage for significant expansion in the coming years. Monsignor Charles Fahey – working for the Catholic Charities at the time, would become one of Loretto’s greatest innovators.

In 1976, Loretto was restructured to become a private, charitable, not-forprofit organization and expanded its services. They developed a 33-acre campus on Brighton Avenue, and opened the Cunningham, $15M project which added 520 skilled nursing beds, and constructed the Bernardine apartments, which became the first enriched living apartments in CNY

Loretto branches out into the community offering additional services like meal delivery, transportation, adult day care and other support services. In 1988, The Nottingham opens, offering a continuum of care services, a unique concept for its time, enabling residents to “age in place.”

In 1992, the original Loretto Rest was transformed into the first residential living facility for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, to fill a significant gap in available assisted living care. In 1997, Loretto introduced PACE CNY, a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly, and an innovative alternative to skilled nursing care.

Through community partnerships, collaborative programs and clinical trials, Loretto continues to innovate care today for more than 9,000 people.