BLUE RIDGE CHRISTIAN HOMES

One Family Helping Another

Founded on the Bender family dairy farm in 1975, Blue Ridge Christian Homes was founded as a not-for-profit organization that seeks to honor the elderly by applying Christian principles of care in small, home-like, rural farm settings, with the oversight of a family. Still family owned and operated, we specialize in total assist care, providing age-in-place care through the end of life.


We aspire to impact our community by providing a safe place of refuge for the elderly, where they can continue their journey and maintain their role as spouses, parents, and grandparents, without losing their identity or being institutionalized as a patient.


We believe that God's plan for us on earth is not finished and that frailty or illness do not hinder our ultimate purposes, and that the elderly should be honored regardless of past experience, background, or position in life.


Mr. Bender desired to help other families in the community in the same spirit that the Amish community he grew up in would help others in their time of need, whether on the farm harvesting crops or during the health crisis of a loved one.  Fifty years later our legacy of serving continues.

Order & Accountability

Our goal from the day of admission is to learn the lifestyle of each elder so that we can help create a routine that best serves their needs.  Our program of care produces a road map for each staff to follow that provides accountability for the care experience.  Staff only need to follow the instructions they are given which helps to minimize vast differences in care from one day to the next.  In turn, this helps create some peace in an already difficult situation.  Staff are always expected to be helpful, courteous, and respectful to the elder and their family and friends.  Our door is alway open in the event that this core value is not achieved.

Families

Families are always welcomed as a blessing and integral part of providing the best care.  Our staff are trained to be mindful of families as a God given protection and advocate for their parents and grandparents during this part of their journey.  There are no restrictions on visiting or trips out.  The elders are welcome to go out for a meal, a leisurely drive, or a visit home for a special event or on vacation with family.

Staffing

Always fully staffed and never using temporary staffing agencies, we focus solely on doing the basics exceptionally well through a loving, attentive staff. Our facility is small, which means that we are always within close proximity so the care that is needed is never far away.

From lobby to living room...

Many years ago, when we first opened in 1975, one of the first elders to live at our Stuarts Draft facility asked to bring a recliner and place it in our lobby so that he could read his Bible.  Slowly, over the next months, more lobby furniture was replaced with personal recliners until the final piece was removed and our true living room was born.  Since then, those that desire to have a comfortable chair in our living room will bring one from home to have a seat truly of their own.  The living room is a warm and inviting place to see the happenings of the day, meet people, and avoid being confined to a bedroom with no place elsewhere to call one's own.  All of our activities and events take place in the living room which is converted into a chapel, movie theater, or concert venue many times throughout the week to enjoy the quality events that are taking place.

Dining

Breaking bread with family and friends is the oldest human tradition.  Our staff dine with the elderly at the table together in a warm and inviting setting, that not only provides extra assistance needed but brings the generations together for the benefit of each. Every year the elders who live at Blue Ridge provide nearly 9,000 meals to our staff, free of charge, all while enjoying each other's company around the table.


Our food is high quality, good home cooking. Hand made daily by the best chefs, we place high expectations on ourselves to make amazing food not only for those we serve, but for all of our staff who eat here as well!  Like the days on the family dairy farm, no one leaves the table hungry.


Additionally, we offer a light snack and hydration between meals every day at 10AM, 2PM, and 7PM, with staff assistance as needed.  The kitchen is always open if extra food or drink is desired.

Church Services

We have four services every week:  Tueday evening bible study, Wednesday morning chapel service, Saturday evening song service, and Sunday morning worship service.  Many of the pastors and teachers, like Denny Greenwald, have been coming and ministering at BRCH for decades.

Events

In addition to our church services, we have many quality events that take place throughout the month.  We have a game night, movie night, poem reading, and also have many alumni families who bless all of us with their time sharing love and talents on a regular basis.  Most have been connected to BRCH for a long time, like the Jacobs Family Bluegrass Band who plays monthly in Bealeton, many years after we had the privilege of serving their mom, Margaret.  Many more come and faithfully give, often spending extra time visiting and taking an interest in those who have made Blue Ridge their home.

The Blue Ridge Christian Homes Locations

Bealeton, VA

Clyde Bender’s granddaughter, Katrina, and her husband Shawn, moved to the Raphine Campus from Western Maryland after marrying in August of 2002 and then to Bealeton in June of 2009.

Raphine, VA

Melvin and Carmina Bender built the Raphine location in 2000.  Melvin helped his dad open and manage the first location in Stuarts Draft, Virginia in 1975, and then assisted with opening the Bealeton location in 1987.

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