Van Mall was originally constructed with 156 apartments in 1989 by a group of local investors, who operated the retirement community for two years, at which time they were sold to Leisure Care Retirement Communities in 1991. In 1994 forty-nine more apartments and common areas were added, along with Assisted Living. There are over thirty retirement communities in 8 states and Canada in the Leisure Care Retirement Communities, and they are dedicated to providing senior-friendly environments and services that will support or enhance the lifestyles of all persons within the retirement community. They offer a wide variety of services, including food and dining services, housekeeping, laundry, travel, personal care, and social and health programs designed to promote individual dignity. Van Mall supports practices that encourage the residents to maintain their individual lifestyle, unless their behavior negatively impacts their own immediate safety or the rights, life quality, or property of others in the community. 

The Van Mall retirement community provides apartment homes for seniors with most of the services found in a fine hotel. They have lifestyle-enhancing services and serve delicious meals restaurant-style, prepared by their chef, in their elegant dining rooms. The Assisted Living services are tailored to meet the individual needs of the resident, including, but not limited to: medication management, care coordination, grooming assistance and cognitive support. They provide care for residents up to a moderate level. As of 2000, Van Mall has a floating licensure capacity so they can have Assisted Living apartments integrated throughout the community, with 80 apartments currently licensed for assisted living. Their PrimeFit^sm program is a pioneering approach to senior fitness designed to offer a variety of choices to enhance quality of life through the wellness of mind, body and spirit. Specially trained PrimeFit^sm staff is available to assist in selecting and participating in a wide variety of exercise programs: PrimeFit^sm gym, walking programs, recreational sports, aquatic exercise, holistic offerings and low-impact exercises. 

A variety of activities are provided for residents such as games, billiards, quilting & crocheting, men’s breakfast, bible study and travel club. Van Mall has a special Seniors Making Art® program, with a mission to enhance the quality of life providing opportunities for creative expression through art. They have offered a 10-week sculpture program with a professional artist teaching, coaching and mentoring seniors. A previous program featured watercolor. The Travel by Leisure Care program offers reasonably priced, fully escorted tour packages in an effort to enhance quality of life while creating a relaxing, safe and entertaining experience. The programs have a higher ratio of staff to participants than most tours and the travel staff is made up of employees from Leisure Care communities. 

A full-service guest services program is responsible for enhancing resident lives by providing “5-Star Fun”, learning, activities, involvement, calendaring, programs and transportation. They provide personal services, upon request, such as finding a seamstress for an alternation, arranging personal transportation, or helping residents to write and mail Christmas letters to family members. Van Mall has a small store located on site allowing residents to purchase a variety of items without even leaving the community. 

As part of their community focus, Van Mall hosts a monthly “55-Alive” safe driving class. They are a precinct voting location and hold a courtyard concert series in the summer months. Van Mall offers seminars on financial planning and estate planning for the area public. The dining room supervisor and guest services arrange catered lunch for five different community groups, such as the Lions Club, Daughters of the American Revolution that meet in one of their meeting rooms. 

The residents meet monthly and have several resident committees. The resident advisory committee meets with the Administrator to make recommendations. They also have activities and welcoming committees. The top walkers in the fitness program receive an award at the monthly meetings.

Van Mall is a member of WAHSA, a state association serving primarily not-for-profit organizations, dedicated to providing quality housing, health, community and related services to older persons. WAHSA is affiliated with the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). When asked what it means to be a WAHSA member, Denny Kartchner, Executive Director at Van Mall stated, “We are all engaging in the same effort to enhance the lives of the seniors we serve.  Anything we can do to help each other is a benefit to our residents.”