History

The Leland Home Mission

The Leland Home provides a safe and affordable residence for persons age 62 and over who desire or need assistance in their daily living. We seek to maintain the dignity and independence of our residents by offering a warm friendly and home-like setting.

In order to fulfill our mission, we are members of the following organizations 

  • Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association (Mass-ALFA)
  • LeadingAge and LeadingAge Massachusetts
  • Aurum Network
  • Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce 

History

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, Waltham blossomed with public benefactors. The idea of a home for elderly women was proposed by Frederick M. Stone, President of the Waltham National Bank; Thomas F. Fales, Rector of Christ Episcopal Church; Charles Dix, a corporator of the Waltham Hospital; and Daniel French. They were granted a Charter of Incorporation for The Home for Aged Women of Waltham in 1879. Money became available for such a home via a bequest from the estate of Mrs. Hannah C. Leland whose death in 1885 made available $55,200 for the purchase of land, the construction and furnishing of the building and an endowment for the operation of the Home. It was in 1891 during building construction, that the name was changed to The Leland Home for Aged Women. On February 3, 1892, Miss Matilda Colburn walked into the newly built Home and unpacked her belongings, and thus began the history of quality care which has been the hallmark of this place for more than a century. 

Through the years there have been several major renovation and expansion projects. In 1938-39 a two-story addition was erected providing a nursing care center and new residential rooms. The years from 1952 to 1955 were building years for Leland with the addition of two residential wings, the Luce House and the Davis House. It was also during this period that the purpose of the Home was augmented to include men and married couples. More recently, in 1997, the Nichols Solarium was expanded to provide a more comfortable and useable meeting area for the residents.

In 2014 Leland Home affiliated with Deaconess Abundant Life Communities, a non-profit organization with a similar history and mission related to aging services.

The Leland Home combines a long and distinguished history with a dedication to homelike and personalized care. It is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Managers composed of volunteers who are competent and compassionate citizens of the community. A professional and caring staff is at the core of what makes the Leland Home a very special place to live.