Third-Party Senior Living Management Focused on Operational Excellence and Purposeful Senior Life
Certus Living is a Minnetonka, Minnesota-based third-party senior living management company founded in 2009 by Will Haase. The company manages senior living communities for outside owners and investors across four states, bringing its proprietary programming, clinical oversight, and operational systems to each property it operates. Certus currently manages five communities in Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas, serving residents across a continuum that includes active adult, independent living, assisted living, personal care, memory care, and skilled nursing. Learn more at certusliv.com.
As a management company rather than an owner-operator, Certus Living is engaged by property owners to lead day-to-day operations, staffing, programming, and financial performance. This model gives the communities it manages access to a specialized management infrastructure, including patented resident programming, evidence-based memory care practices, and a structured wellness system, without requiring residents to interact with ownership transitions. Browse all Certus Living communities on Senior Care Finder.
Company at a Glance
- Headquarters: Minnetonka, Minnesota
- Founded / Experience: Founded 2009; more than 15 years of experience in senior living management
- Current Leadership: Will Haase, Founder and CEO; Jeff Amann, President and COO
- Portfolio Size: 5 communities managed across 4 states (as of October 2026)
- States/Markets Served: Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas
- Care and Lifestyle Options: Active adult (55+), independent living, assisted living, personal care, memory care, skilled nursing and long-term care
- Official Website: certusliv.com
Senior Living and Care Options
Certus Living manages communities that collectively offer a broad continuum of care, though the specific services available at each location differ. Families considering a Certus-managed community should verify which care types are offered at the specific property they are evaluating.
Active adult (55+) and independent living are available at Prairie Path Senior Living in Lombard, Illinois, The Reserve of Geneva in Geneva, Illinois, and at the Edgemere campus and St. John's Lutheran Senior Living Community in Albert Lea, Minnesota. These settings serve seniors who want a maintenance-free lifestyle with amenities and programming but do not yet require daily assistance.
Assisted living and personal care are offered at Prairie Path Senior Living, Heritage of Green Hills in Shillington, Pennsylvania, Edgemere in Dallas, Texas, and St. John's Lutheran Senior Living Community. These levels of care provide support with activities of daily living while allowing residents to maintain as much independence as possible.
Memory care is available at Prairie Path Senior Living, Heritage of Green Hills, Edgemere, and St. John's Lutheran Senior Living Community. Certus delivers memory care through its Vitalize™ program, which is built around Alzheimer's Association-approved best practices and significantly exceeds the industry standard for caregiver training hours.
Skilled nursing and long-term care are available at The Plaza at Edgemere in Dallas and at St. John's Health Services in Albert Lea, Minnesota, both of which operate on the same campuses as their companion residential communities. Rehabilitation services are provided at these locations as well.
What Makes Certus Living Different?
What is Certus Living's management model?
Certus Living operates as a third-party senior living management company, meaning it is hired by property owners and investors to run communities rather than owning them outright. This distinction matters for families and partners alike: Certus brings consistent operational systems, proprietary programming, and centralized clinical and financial expertise to each community it manages, regardless of who holds the deed. The model allows community owners to access an experienced management infrastructure without building one from scratch, and it gives residents continuity of programming and leadership even when ownership changes hands.
What is the Live Life by Design™ philosophy?
Live Life by Design™ is the foundational operating philosophy Certus Living applies across its managed portfolio. The framework, which the company trademarked and for which it secured a U.S. patent in July 2026, is built on the premise that purposeful living, not passive residence, is what supports well-being in older adults. The philosophy shapes how communities are programmed, staffed, and designed, aiming to give each resident a life that reflects their own goals and values rather than a generic senior living routine. Live Life by Design™ is implemented through two flagship programs, Elevate™ Wellness and Vitalize™ Memory Care, described below.
How does Certus Living approach community turnarounds?
Certus Living has established a documented record of stepping into underperforming or struggling communities and improving both operational outcomes and resident satisfaction. Its work at Edgemere in Dallas is a notable example: Certus assumed management in August 2024 of a life plan community that had faced operational difficulties, and by June 2026 the community was reporting near-full occupancy alongside national and local recognition for senior living excellence. A similar turnaround story applies at Prairie Path Senior Living in Lombard, Illinois, where Certus led a rebranding and a $14 million renovation program in 2026. Heritage of Green Hills in Shillington, Pennsylvania, has been under Certus management for several years. These engagements represent the company's core operating competency: identifying and resolving the organizational, programming, and physical-plant gaps that hold communities back.
What makes Certus Living's memory care approach different?
Certus Living's Vitalize™ Memory Care program is built on three pillars: Care, Community, and Purpose. The clinical foundation follows Alzheimer's Association-approved best practices, and Certus requires its memory care staff to complete more than 40 hours of specialized annual training, compared to the 12-to-16-hour industry norm. The program is designed to create an environment where residents living with dementia can maintain meaningful engagement and a sense of identity. At Edgemere, Certus introduced an Atelier Sensory Suite as part of the Vitalize program, providing a purpose-built sensory environment for memory care residents. Availability of Vitalize™ Memory Care varies by community.
How does Certus Living serve property owners and investors?
In addition to serving residents and families, Certus Living operates as a management partner for the owners of the communities it operates. The company provides financial oversight, occupancy strategy, regulatory compliance, and operational reporting for the property owners who engage it. This dual accountability, to residents for the quality of daily life and to owners for the financial performance of the asset, is central to how Certus positions itself in the market. Families evaluating a Certus-managed community should understand that the management company and the property owner are distinct entities, and that Certus's engagement may be ongoing or subject to change.
Signature Programs and Services
Live Life by Design™
Live Life by Design™ is Certus Living's patented operating philosophy, trademarked and granted a U.S. patent in July 2026. The framework holds that purpose-driven programming, not a passive or activity-for-activity's-sake approach, is what produces meaningful outcomes for older adults. It underpins both of Certus's flagship programs, Elevate™ Wellness and Vitalize™ Memory Care, and shapes how communities are staffed and evaluated. Availability may vary by community.
Elevate™ Wellness
Elevate™ Wellness is Certus Living's structured wellness program, organized around three pillars: Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, and Healthy Spirit. Healthy Body programming covers fitness, nutrition, and sleep; Healthy Mind covers brain fitness activities, continuing education, yoga, and tai chi; Healthy Spirit addresses life coaching, social connection, and mentoring. The program is modeled on standards set by the International Council on Active Aging. Availability varies by community.
Vitalize™ Memory Care
Vitalize™ Memory Care is Certus Living's evidence-based memory care program, structured around three pillars: Care, Community, and Purpose. The program follows Alzheimer's Association-approved best practices and requires more than 40 hours of annual specialized training for memory care caregivers, well above the 12-to-16-hour industry average. At Edgemere in Dallas, the program includes an Atelier Sensory Suite designed specifically for residents living with dementia. Vitalize™ Memory Care is available at Certus-managed communities that offer memory care services.
Life at a Certus Living Community
Daily life at a Certus Living-managed community is shaped by the Live Life by Design™ philosophy, which emphasizes purposeful activity and individualized engagement over a uniform routine. Common lifestyle features across the portfolio may include structured fitness and wellness programming, intellectual enrichment activities, social events, dining services, housekeeping and maintenance support, and transportation, though amenities and programming details vary considerably by location.
Families evaluating a specific community should look beyond amenity lists and ask how programming is individualized, how memory care residents are engaged, and how the community involves families in care planning. The Elevate™ Wellness program and Vitalize™ Memory Care offer a framework for how Certus approaches these questions, but the on-the-ground experience at each property depends on its physical layout, staffing, and the specific programs in place at that site.
The Reserve of Geneva in Illinois and Prairie Path Senior Living in Lombard offer residential settings oriented toward active older adults, with amenities appropriate to their age and care levels. Edgemere in Dallas is a larger life plan campus with a broader continuum of care and amenities. Heritage of Green Hills in Shillington, Pennsylvania and St. John's Lutheran Senior Living Community in Albert Lea, Minnesota offer community-focused settings serving local seniors.
What Residents and Families Say
Public feedback for Certus Living-managed communities is mixed in volume, with some properties carrying more substantial review histories than others. Prairie Path Senior Living in Lombard, Illinois holds a 4.0-star rating across 39 reviews on Senior Care Finder as of October 2026. The Reserve of Geneva in Geneva, Illinois carries a 4.5-star rating based on a smaller review sample. Edgemere in Dallas has received national and local recognition for senior living quality, including a Best in DFW People's Choice Gold Award from the Dallas Morning News in 2026 for Best Senior Living/Active Adult 55+.
Recurring themes in public feedback for Certus-managed communities include staff attentiveness, responsive communication, and community atmosphere. As with any multi-site operator, experience varies by location, staffing, and the time period in which a review was written. Families are encouraged to read recent reviews specific to the community they are considering and to schedule an in-person visit to assess the current environment firsthand.
Edgemere has also received formal recognition from U.S. News & World Report for Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Nursing Care (2026) and from Newsweek's America's Best Nursing Homes list for 2025-2026, reflecting the quality of its skilled nursing operations under Certus management.
Leadership
Will Haase, Founder and CEO. Haase founded Certus Living in 2009 after a career managing assets across multiple industries. He leads the company's overall strategy, business development, and management philosophy, including the development and patenting of the Live Life by Design™ framework. Official biography
Jeff Amann, President and COO. Amann brings nearly 40 years of senior care experience to his role, including service as a licensed nursing home administrator. He oversees day-to-day operations across the Certus portfolio and has led operational improvements at hundreds of senior living communities throughout his career.
See the full leadership team for the complete and most current roster.
Recent News, Growth, and Recognition
Certus Living Secures U.S. Patent for Live Life by Design™
Certus Living announced in July 2026 that its Live Life by Design™ operating philosophy received a U.S. patent. The patent covers the framework's distinctive approach to purposeful programming across assisted living and independent living settings, and was reported as a significant milestone for the company's broader commercialization of its management methodology.
Citybiz, July 9, 2026
Certus Living Bolsters Wellness and Memory Care With Life By Design Philosophy
Senior Housing News reported in August 2026 on Certus Living's expansion of its Elevate™ Wellness and Vitalize™ Memory Care programs across its managed portfolio. President and COO Jeff Amann explained the company's evidence-based approach to wellness and memory care programming and the clinical rationale behind the higher caregiver training requirement in Vitalize™ communities.
Senior Housing News, August 14, 2026
Edgemere Nears Full Occupancy as Community Turnaround Takes Hold
Citybiz reported in June 2026 that Edgemere in Dallas was approaching full occupancy under Certus Living's management, which began in August 2024. The article credited Certus's operational systems and programming improvements for the community's recovery, noting strong demand from prospective residents and families.
Citybiz, June 2, 2026
Edgemere Receives National and Local Recognition for Senior Living Excellence
People Newspapers reported in March 2026 that Edgemere in Dallas had received multiple honors, including the Best in DFW People's Choice Gold Award from the Dallas Morning News for Best Senior Living/Active Adult 55+ and recognition from U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek for its skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. The recognitions were attributed to programming and operational improvements made since Certus Living assumed management.
People Newspapers, March 12, 2026
Memory Care Renovations and Programming Help Certus Turn Around a Life Plan Community
Senior Housing News covered Certus Living's turnaround of a struggling life plan community in April 2025, with a focus on the Vitalize™ Memory Care program's role in repositioning the property. The article described the physical renovations made to the memory care environment, including the introduction of a sensory suite, and cited occupancy improvements following the programming overhaul.
Senior Housing News, April 15, 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Certus Living?
Certus Living is a third-party senior living management company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in 2009, it manages senior living communities for outside owners and investors, providing operational leadership, proprietary programming, clinical oversight, and financial management services to the communities in its portfolio.
Where is Certus Living headquartered?
Certus Living is headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The company manages communities in Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Who owns Certus Living?
Certus Living was founded by Will Haase, who serves as its CEO. As a management company, Certus does not own the communities it operates; each community is owned by a separate property owner or investor who has engaged Certus to provide management services.
How many communities does Certus Living manage?
Certus Living manages five communities across four states as of October 2026. Senior Care Finder lists seven community profiles for Certus Living because two of its campuses include both a residential community and a separate skilled nursing facility on the same campus, each with its own listing.
Where are Certus Living communities located?
Certus Living-managed communities are located in Lombard, Illinois (Prairie Path Senior Living); Geneva, Illinois (The Reserve of Geneva); Albert Lea, Minnesota (St. John's Lutheran Senior Living Community and St. John's Health Services); Shillington, Pennsylvania (Heritage of Green Hills); and Dallas, Texas (Edgemere and The Plaza at Edgemere).
What care options do Certus Living communities offer?
Across its managed portfolio, Certus Living communities offer active adult (55+) living, independent living, assisted living, personal care, memory care, and skilled nursing and long-term care. The specific care types available depend on the individual community. Not every Certus-managed location offers every level of care.
Does Certus Living offer memory care?
Yes. Memory care is available at Prairie Path Senior Living in Lombard, Illinois; Heritage of Green Hills in Shillington, Pennsylvania; Edgemere in Dallas, Texas; and St. John's Lutheran Senior Living Community in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Certus delivers memory care through its Vitalize™ program, which follows Alzheimer's Association-approved best practices and requires more than 40 hours of annual specialized caregiver training.
What is Certus Living's Live Life by Design™ program?
Live Life by Design™ is Certus Living's patented operating philosophy, trademarked and awarded a U.S. patent in July 2026. The framework emphasizes purposeful, individualized programming for older adults and is implemented through Elevate™ Wellness (a structured three-pillar wellness program) and Vitalize™ Memory Care across Certus-managed communities.
Does every Certus Living community provide the same services and amenities?
No. Services, amenities, care levels, pricing, and programming vary by location. Each community operates within the overall Certus Living framework but is a distinct property with its own staffing, physical layout, and ownership. Families should evaluate the specific community they are considering rather than assuming a consistent experience across all Certus-managed locations.
How can I find a Certus Living community near me?
Browse all Certus Living-managed communities on Senior Care Finder's Certus Living parent-company page, where you can view individual community listings, ratings, reviews, care options, and contact information for each location.
How much do Certus Living communities cost?
Pricing varies by community, care level, apartment size, and specific services included. Certus Living does not publish portfolio-wide pricing. Families should contact the individual community for current rates and to discuss what is included at their specific care level.
Can I schedule a tour at a Certus Living community?
Yes. To schedule a tour or request information, visit the individual community's page on Senior Care Finder and use the contact or inquiry options there.
Explore Certus Living Communities
Certus Living's managed communities serve a broad range of seniors, from active adults looking for a maintenance-free lifestyle to those who need memory care or skilled nursing support. Use Senior Care Finder to compare individual communities, read recent ratings and reviews, explore care options and amenities, and connect directly with communities you'd like to visit. Browse all Certus Living locations on the Certus Living community listings page.
Services, pricing, amenities, ratings, care options, and the resident experience vary by location, by staffing and leadership at each community, and over time. Families are encouraged to review recent feedback for any specific community they are considering, to request a current rate sheet, and to visit in person before making a final decision.
Certus Living is a paid Senior Care Finder partner. Partner status does not replace the need for families to independently evaluate individual communities, services, pricing, licensing information, and recent reviews.
Company information, leadership details, programs, recognition, and news were reviewed using publicly available sources. Information last reviewed October 2026.
