A company whose mission is to provide understanding and significance to people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias has broken ground on a $12.6 million dementia care community designed to keep its residents engaged with the world. Called Vineyard Place, it will be located at 24325 Washington Avenue in Murrieta. Developed and operated by Anthem Memory Care, Vineyard Place is expected to open in the summer of 2016. The project will create 50 new jobs.
The 38,000-sq.-ft. one-story community will offer 66 suite accommodations, with a selection of private with private bath, private with shared bath and shared with shared bath. Each includes smart technology that helps care staff to monitor, understand and respond to individual resident needs while respecting dignity and privacy. The community’s layout and features have been devised to further Anthem’s emphasis on providing purposeful life to people with dementia.
“Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s does not mean people have to stop living in meaningful ways, contributing and enjoying their lives,” said Isaac Scott, principal, Anthem Memory Care.
“In fact, engaging those with dementia with purpose and social connections is tremendously beneficial and can even help slow symptoms of the disease.”
The building’s figure-eight design integrates residents into daily community life, creating a natural flow of people and events through its two loops. Two large satellite kitchens with bar-style counters will encourage residents to get involved in food preparation and serve as a social gathering area.
Two-story vaulted ceilings with clerestory windows placed over main gathering areas will bring the community great amounts of abundant natural light, which has been shown to be beneficial for mood and energy levels for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. A secure outdoor courtyard will feature a circular walking path, a putting green, a bocce ball court and raised garden beds accessible to those in wheelchairs.
“This innovation in Vineyard Place’s physical structure matches our creative approaches to care and engagement programs for residents as well as support for families,” Scott said. “We are looking forward to bringing this new and different memory care option to Murrieta.”
Working with Anthem on developing and building Vineyard Place are CM Consulting, Markham Development Management Group, CBTwo Architects, Consolidated Contracting and LTC Properties, which is providing financing. Anthem Memory Care, based in Lake Oswego, Ore., also operates a dementia care community in Chico, Calif. and four in Denver, Colo. It is developing three communities in the greater Chicago area.