Two families with roots deep in the Midwest and extensive experience in elder care have formed a collaboration to create Arbor Springs.

The vision for Arbor Springs began with the Wurth family of Wichita, Kansas. The family has been involved in long-term health care since Chuck Wurth, Sr. opened Mid-America Health Centers in rural Kansas in 1969. Today they own and/or manage nine facilities. Sons Chuck Jr., Paul, and David have joined the company in recent years.

Recognizing the gaps in care for persons with memory loss, the Wurths went to work re-designing dementia care, creating a revised mission and concept for a dementia-specific care facility.

In 2001, Hawkeye Care Centers, Inc. joined with the Wurths to build Arbor Springs. Owned by Mike Hamm, Hawkeye Care Centers is an Iowa-based company that has operated five long-term care facilities since 1976. Together, as Arbor Springs, Inc., the families have planned, designed, and built the first stand-alone facility for dementia care in Iowa.