By Rachel Phillips
Families with members suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s have a new place to seek care, thanks to Home of the Good Shepherd.
On July 31, the organization opened a new memory care community, located at the organization’s building at 390 Church St., Saratoga Springs.
The non-profit organization, affiliated with the Bethesda Episcopal Church in Saratoga Springs, has been in operation since 1870, provides care for elderly residents, and has communities in Saratoga, Wilton, Malta and Moreau.
While they offer traditional nursing home services, including housekeeping, meal preparation, medication management, assistance with daily living, Home of the Good Shepherd boasts a more comfortable, home-like environment, while still providing a continuum of care that allows residents to “age in place.”
Along with sunlit, private suites, residents also enjoy a safe, landscaped outdoor courtyard, as well as a highly trained and caring staff, dedicated to celebrating the life of each individual in the community.
The new memory care community marks the fifth community the organization has opened. It provides specialized care to residents suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. The one-story “neighborhood” has 42 private suites and baths, with 25 residents already calling it home.
According to Denise Cote’, CEO of the Home of the Good Shepherd, “Although the Home of the Good Shepherd has always provided Memory Care to residents, we are proud to offer an entire community dedicated to memory care for so many individuals in need of these services.”
Like all of the organizations communities, the new community is licensed by the state Department of Health, with an RN care manager and LPNs available around the clock. The community also has on staff resident aides who are all trained in Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
The Memory Care unit, which is partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association, hopes to help residents stay mentally alert, and slow the progression of memory loss. Through treatments such as aroma therapy, art and music therapy, chair yoga, gardening and book clubs, the staff helps to stimulate residents’ senses, and keep their minds active.
Realizing the strain Alzheimer’s and dementia can put on the loved ones of patients, the organization offers family counciling and care plan meetings for families.
More information about Home of the Good Shepherd’s communities and care is available at homeofthegoodshepherd.com. Or, to schedule a tour, call (518) 584-3317.