Senior Housing and Assisted Living

Silverado Senior Living celebrated the grand opening of the company’s 20^th memory care community late last month. Silverado Senior Living-Beverly Place’s central location in Los Angeles borders Cedars Sinai, Olympia and UCLA medical centers. The three-story building, which was previously known as the Shalom Hotel, was under extensive construction for more than two years and can currently accommodate 64 residents and will be expanded further for a total of 150 residents.  Beverly Place also includes a Silverado Social neighborhood for those in the early stages of memory impairment.  Silverado-Beverly Place was designed as an elegant homelike environment with the help of Irwin Pancake Associates’ architectural team, and Center Point Construction.

“Silverado is very excited to bring LIFE to those affected by Alzheimer’s and other memory-impairing illnesses here in the greater Los Angeles area,” said Loren Shook, Founder, President and CEO of the company. “Silverado is a company that is driven by our mission, vision and core values to really change the way people treat memory impairment. Our associates touch the human spirit in the work they do with residents, providing truly unique care in the assisted living industry. The construction and opening of Silverado-Beverly Place has been a company-wide effort many years in the making. We are excited to offer our signature world-class services to Los Angeles, both to the public and our medical partners.”

A cat with a sixth sense…about those who are about to depart?  Sounds unbelievable, right?  The book "Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat", written by Dr. David Dosa, chronicles the interactions of Oscar and the residents of a Rhode Island nursing Home.  Oscar has accurately predicted almost 50 deaths over a five year period causing nursing home staff to pay attention to Oscar’s visits.  The stories outline some patient stories but more often than not, Oscar leaps into bed with the patient and purrs, giving companionship in the patient’s last moments before they depart.

Dr. David Dosa is the author and geriatrician that cares for patients suffering late stage dementia and began observing Oscar with the skeptical eye.  Over the course of time, Dr. Dosa observed that Oscar’s ability was always right.  The book provides some anecdotal scientific explanation as to the possibilities that give

The book is touching and engaging both for cat lovers and those in the senior care industry.  The book is well-written, compassionate and an easy read; keep an handkerchief handy as its a tear jerker.  Good gift idea for those who like to read and have loved ones or those who care for those with dementia.

Summit Hills, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Spartanburg, South Carolina, was recently recognized by the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) for its role in piloting an innovative, aquatics-based therapy program called WAVES to members suffering from memory loss.   WAVES program, developed by Summit Hills’ parent company Senior Living Communities, combines low-impact aerobics with the therapeutic benefits of warm water to reduce agitation, increase appetite and improve sleeping patterns for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 

“Tonya Ray, our wellness coordinator and Kelly Ivey, our director of member services, have worked diligently to train staff and implement this program for our members,” Summit Hills Executive Director Amy Thomas said.  “This award aligns our name and the larger Senior Living Communities’ brand with industry leaders who are working to change the landscape of health care across the nation … it’s a huge honor.”

Carnegie Mellon University researchers in the Quality of Life Technology Center (QoLTC) recently announced a study that will embed wireless sensors in the residences of about 50 older adults who live alone to see if they can detect subtle changes in everyday activities that indicate the onset of dementia or physical infirmities. The project hopes to demonstrate that simple, unobtrusive sensors in residences can alert medical professionals when a person begins to lose physical or mental abilities.

The research team is one of five nationwide selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to explore how observations of daily living (ODLs) — what people eat, how they sleep, their mood, how their medications makes them feel and other factors — can be captured, interpreted and integrated into clinical care. Each team is receiving a $480,000 grant for the two-year project. Project teams will then work with patients with complex chronic conditions to capture and interpret ODLs while establishing a relationship with a physician practice to share information. Over the 12 months, clinicians will care for 30-50 patients who are actively monitoring ODLs and assess the value of including the ODLs in their real-world care processes.

In addition, the program provides legal and regulatory compliance support to grantees and contributes to the public discourse on the legal and regulatory aspects of capturing ODLs and integrating them into care processes. The program will develop resources around the cross-cutting issues regarding use and safe integrations of ODLs as well as specifically advise grantee teams on applicable law and regulations that may alter the consequences of data-sharing between patients and clinicians.

"The loss of the ability to make a sandwich, dial a phone, or take medications correctly often occurs gradually and, particularly for people who live alone, insidiously," said Anind Dey, associate professor in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science. "If we can identify this decline at an early stage, we have a chance to halt and even reverse deterioration that might otherwise result in an unsafe living situation and ultimately require the person to be institutionalized."

National HealthCare Corporation (NYSE-Amex: NHC; NHC.PRA) announced that it has recently opened NHC Bluffton, a 120-bed skilled care and dementia center in Bluffton, South Carolina. The $22.6 million project is located in one of the fastest growing senior population areas of the country and is near the DelWebb development of Sun City, Hilton Head.

The health care facility provides both nursing and therapy services, including a rehabilitation unit, a long-term care unit and a specialized memory care unit for Alzheimer’s and dementia care. The new patient-friendly design of each 40-bed wing is comprised mostly of private rooms and the semi private rooms are designed to create a private living space for both residents.  The project architect was Johnson and Bailey of Murfreesboro, Tennessee and the general contractor was American Constructors, Inc. of Nashville, Tennessee.

“The superior quality of NHC’s services to the senior care community in the state of South Carolina is well known”, Steve Flatt, NHC’s President said. “We have been a strong provider in the Upstate and Midland region for over 30 years. This additional location allows us to better serve the Low Country area as well. We are grateful for the help and cooperation of our South Carolina regional staff and the citizens of Beaufort County in getting this new center off to a great start.”

For more details, visit http://www.nhccare.com/presspdf/20100304.pdf

Atria Senior Living Group announced renovation plans for Atria Sunnyvale, a local independent and assisted living community, that will create a Life Guidance® memory care neighborhood for residents living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Set to begin in March 2010, the multi-million dollar renovation will also include aesthetic upgrades to the community’s overall interior.  Atria’s Life Guidance communities are secure neighborhoods designed specifically for residents living with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory impairments that includes two secure courtyards with outdoor seating and walking paths.   The 27 apartment Life Guidance neighborhood upgrades will include new carpet and paint as well as new bathroom fixtures, cabinets and surfaces.  

“Our new Life Guidance neighborhood will provide older people, living with memory impairments, an opportunity to live in a home-like setting designed with dignity and safety in mind,” said Zeinab Donner, executive director of Atria Sunnyvale. “It will also help residents retain a level of independence they otherwise wouldn’t achieve anywhere else.  I think that’s what people are really struggling to retain as they age,” continued Donner.  “This expansion reflects what we are all about at Atria, and that is providing the highest quality of life possible in the most comfortable and pleasant surroundings.”