CarDon & Associates is proud to announce a new service line concept focused on memory care for assisted living residents. Called “The Neighborhood,” this service line is being introduced at its Altenheim senior living community, located at 3525 East Hanna Avenue in Indianapolis.
CarDon is taking 27 of the existing assisted living apartments at the Altenheim community and renovating them into “The Neighborhood,” a memory care unit for residents who are in early or mid-stages of dementia — those residents who are still able to participate in their own daily care but require some level of structure and oversight to help maintain their independence.
“We decided on calling it ‘The Neighborhood’ because the neighborhood concept is an important one for people of an earlier era who may now be experiencing dementia,” said CarDon Chief Operating Officer Gregg Gormal. “It’s like the feeling of the front porch — feeling comfortable and having that sense of community and belonging.”
Residents will have a private studio or one-bedroom apartment with a private bath as well as three, family-style meals daily.
“My vision for these residents is they are able to participate in family-style dining in the dining room as well as various activities programming that will be tailored to them as individuals and their stage of dementia,” said CarDon Director of Ancillary Services Lynn Lopossa. The CarDon staff will have specialized one-on-one training for residents in “The Neighborhood,” with an emphasis on understanding the needs of each individual resident while still creating a structured daily routine.
“Structure and routine are helpful to keep residents as independent as possible for as long as they can,” Lopossa said. “A familiar environment gives them that serenity and comfort. We will have an intimate staff providing personal care, so the residents get to know their caregivers and can gain that level of trust that is so crucial for those in the developing stages of memory loss.” In addition, CarDon will offer support services for resident caregivers.
“Being a caregiver to someone with dementia can cause anxiety, depression and exhaustion,” said CarDon Regional Director of Memory Care Laura Bedwell. “We want to provide a connection — a partnership — with the residents’ families in order to offer them support as we care for their loved ones.”
Altenheim is now accepting reservations for “The Neighborhood” apartments. Please call 317-788-4261 for more information.
