Issue 34.16
After college I began working for a Home Health and Hospice agency here in St George, UT. I was employed to help with admissions, marketing and a little public relation. My days consisted of driving around Washington County and to in Cedar City on the occasion meeting with families, social workers, nurses, doctors and even other marketers at various Assisted Living communities. I learned a lot about our great community. One thing I learned was the reality of our immense senior population growth. Not only the growth of the general senior population, but in particular our seniors with Dementia and Alzheimer’s. I had to ask myself; is our health care evolving with that growth to meet their needs?
At the time there were only 3 types of memory care: nursing homes such as Bella Terra (then Kolob) and Red Cliffs. They have nurses on staff 24/7 for a higher level of care. Next there are small homes such as the Beehive Homes that house 10-12 residents and offer a cozy smaller habitat. Then you have your larger assisted living communities with a wing reserved for 10-15 residents in need of memory care. At the time Memory Care seemed to me a 2nd priority. Not to say the care givers were offering second hand care. No, I’m talking about the buildings and designated areas being smaller and only additions to the main Level I assisted and independent living.
In that year Terrill Clove (Director of The Meadows Senior Living) and I had built a relationship during which Terrill offered me a job to help open up a brand new addition to the Memory Care world here in Southern Utah; a beautiful stand-alone community of 48 private apartments, high ceilings and brightness with Memory Care as its only and 1st priority. Completely innovative, modern, and beautiful this was an opportunity to help men and women disabled by Alzheimer’s and Dementia call this worthy building, home. Seeing our building come together has eased my concerns that the health care in Southern Utah is evolving to cover the immense growth and need of our senior population.
For information on the In The Moment Memory Care Program at the Meadows call 435-628-2262.