Why Choose Maple Memory Lane?

There is nothing more important than knowing you are making the right decision for your loved one. Finding a place that honors their privacy and independence, but also ensures their safety and well-being can become a tasking decision; but we are here to help. Maple Memory Lane is an assisted living memory care community dedicated to providing a safe, loving, comfortable home for those dealing with memory loss and dementia.

What Sets Us Apart?

Looking to the most current research and studies done on these life-altering scenarios we have found ways to enrich the lives of those affected by incorporating the newest innovations. Within our facility, socialization is strongly encouraged by making the common area the focus. Several specialized activity centers, outside gardens, and a fireplace to gather around, stimulate the tenants both physically and mentally.

Additionally, through our innovative programing we have created individualized care plans for our tenants incorporating intimate knowledge of their current reality as well as their past allowing us to engage our tenants in activities that are meaningful to them.

What are our goals?

We will continue to work each day to enrich lives and create real success on every level. This means that we adapt our behavior to the residents behavior, not the other way around.

  

Maple Memory Lane’s Unique Aspects:

• Walking Path to Encourage Wellness and Mobility

  • Within the design of the carpet at Maple Memory Lane you will find a green path throughout the building. This design allows those with cognitive decline to comprehend the idea of a walking course without fear of wandering somewhere unsafe.

• Fireplace to Inspire Social Gathering

  • Staying social is key to suppressing the decline of cognitive abilities. For this reason several areas for socialization are offered with our fire place being the highlight. The fireplace allows the calm comfort of a fireside while allowing for tenants to sit and reminisce or simply give them time to reflect.

• Alzheimer and Dementia Focused Room Accommodations

  • It has been proven that seclusion may become a go-to for those dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia. However, if encouraged to socialize and keep the mind active and body physical, the decline can be significantly slowed. For this reason, our room accommodations allow for independency while strongly encouraging them to explore the common areas and do activities.

• Individualized Approach

  • It is our goal to make each tenant feel important and unique. On top of individualized care plans and daily goals, each tenant’s room entry will be decorated in a way to ensure they know where their individual space is. It may be personalized with memory boxes, mailboxes, small knick-knacks or whatever comfort it takes in order for the tenant to feel at home.

• Outdoor Gardens

  • Gardening has been proven as a benefit to those diagnosed with Alzheimer and dementia. Exercise, a sense of purpose, boost in energy levels, a sense of community and maintaining existing skill sets are just some of the benefits.  Within our courtyard there are several gardening boxes full of non-toxic, edible plants, allowing residents to enjoy at their leisure.

  

Our Specific Design Technique:

            Simply stating the unique aspects of Maple Memory Lane does not do our facility justice as you walk through the doors. The vibrant colors and carpet design may leave our guests in wonder as to what exactly we are trying to accomplish. The truth is, medication is NOT the only treatment for Alzheimers. Much of the progression and/or side effects of the diseases can be affected or even altered according to the person’s surroundings (Zeisel, 2013). With this research we set to work to create an advanced memory care unit utilizing the newest information. This is what we found:

• The Paint Scheme

  Standing back and looking at the facility from one end to the other, you will see the resemblance of a sunset fading from yellow to blue. The colors are used to coincide with the feeling of sundowning that Alzheimer’s causes. Sundowning in patients is caused by increased confusion during the evening and nighttime hours. By providing the soothing tones that have been found to relate to the various moods of sundowning, the side effects have been proven to be significantly less.

• The Furniture

Why is the furniture so many different patterns and textures? Good question. As Alzheimer’s and dementia progress, depth perception becomes a significant issue. For this reason, those dealing with the disease have a hard time making the distinction between floor and seat or even seat and arm of the chair. By using the differing materials, this distinction becomes easier, allowing the residents to move about independently without worry of falling  (Sight, perception and hallucinations in dementia, 2015).

• The Walking Path in the Carpet

  For those who are just learning about Alzheimer’s and dementia, the coloring of the carpet may seem confusing. However, according to Zeisel (2013), creating a circular path allows residents to feel less trapped and more attuned to the natural rhythms of day and night. Additionally, the green walking path around the perimeter allows the tenants to wander with purpose without getting lost. Finally, the color of green was chosen for two main reasons. Firstly, it is a natural color, allowing the tenants to relate the color to a green walking path they may be used to walking in their day-to-day life. Also, the stark contrast of the gray and green allows for the distinction between colors to be easily made, ensuring the tenant that they will not fall off any ledge.

• The Half-Wall/Activity Centers

  The length of the building is split up into four activity centers. Within these activity centers several aspects were considered including current abilities, enjoyment, no need for direction, relatable to past work life, and time of day (Choosing Activities, 2015). Moving from one end of the facility to the other, we have once again created a sundown effect. The north side of the area, which is yellow in color, is considered the living room/reading nook; a great area to read the morning news or relax before starting the day. The next area is the farm area, complete with farming knick-knacks and tasks to complete. The following area is the school area, allowing tenants to reminisce over their school days while participating in school-like activities keeping their minds active. The final area is the seating area which incorporates the darker colors indicating evening and relaxation. All of these areas provide activities to keep busy while encouraging reminiscing and socialization.

• Making this a Home

A home is supposed to feel like a home, not an institution. Additionally, a home can be just as much a way of being as it is a location. Therefore, there is no nurses’ station, the staff does not have uniforms and every room is based on residential scale. Shared spaces are clearly defined with a very open layout and ample seating. Private bedrooms are designed on a smaller scale to make it understood that they are not areas to congregate; encouraging the use of common areas (Zeisel, 2013).  

• Private Entrances

  Beside each room is an area that each tenant will be able to decorate to their liking. Highly encouraged is the placement of a memory box containing personal memorabilia. Not only does this break up the monotony (and difficulty) of similar looking doorways, but it allows the residents to recognize images and objects from their past instead of room numbers (Zeisel, 2013).

• Music instead of T.V.

  While T.V. is available in the common area and a hookup is offered in each of the residents’ rooms, it is highly discouraged. Many of today’s talk shows and sitcom dramas cause increased anxiety for dementia patients with can also increase agitation and other behaviors. While some programs are fitting and can create a sense of nostalgia, music has proven to be the best alternative. No matter the background of a tenant, music is always a part of life. Studies in Alzheimer’s patients have shown that music reduces   violent outburst and improves general mood. Even though taste in music varies from tenant-to-tenant, the overall effect of the rhythms and instruments is extremely positive (McGolerick & Seitzer, 2015).

• No Obvious Exits

  Take notice that there are only two entrances in and out of our memory care unit. The main entrance is hidden around a corner, concealing it to lessen the feeling of entrapment and the need to get out. The second entrance allows for open access to the garden areas which is fully secured with a surrounding fence.

Everyday Accommodations:

• Professional nurses on site 24/7

• Emergency care

• Secured unit

• Three well-balanced and nutritional meals daily with snacks and refreshments offered throughout the day

• Zero entrance showers that are fully handicap accessible

• Single occupancy rooms

• Fully staffed 24 hours a day

• Staff with specialized training in dementia and Alzheimer’s

• Music therapy

• Therapy and rehabilitation services

• Daily activities

Personalized Memory Care Assisted Living Community for Seniors:

            If your loved one requires assistance of daily living such as bathing, dressing or medication administration, Maple Memory Lane’s personalized assisted living community can provide all this and more. Our community for seniors provides housing and supportive services featuring optimal senior living environment when limited care is needed.

            Each person at our Maple Memory Lane is an individual. Our personalized approach allows this and focuses on the unique needs of each tenant to ensure they are fully engaged in life. By customizing the care for them we help to ease tenants through lifestyle transitions and enhance their happiness, all while fulfilling our daily promise of respect and individual preferences.