The Arboretum - Specialized Assisted Living for Seniors with Alzheimer’s and Related Cognitive Diseases
Select Kisco communities feature The Arboretum, new specialized assisted living residences for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and related cognitive impairments. The Arboretum is specifically designed to promote the functional independence, dignity and individuality of each resident. These purpose built villages feature prosthetic environments that provide support to compensate for physical, psychological or cognitive limitations. Every effort is made to minimize those factors which cause stress, anxiety and disorientation commonly found in traditional health care settings, a resident’s previous home, or the home of a son or daughter. Pioneering projects such as the Corinne Dolan Alzheimer’s Center at Heather Hill have documented that prosthetic or therapeutic design can dramatically reduce the need for medication, enhance resident independence and actually slow or reverse the progressive degeneration of cognitive functions in seniors with Alzheimer’s disease.
Each Arboretum care village features several one story residential structures clustered around one or more protected gardens. The village also includes a central activities and administration building with a large gathering room, smaller activity and family rooms and support spaces. Each residential "pod" within the village is limited to 10 living units. Units may be private suites or larger shared alcoves. All units have full bathrooms with showers to enable residents to have privacy and dignity as they would in their own home. Each unit has large windows with abundant natural light, carpeting, individual climate controls, special closets designed to assist in dressing and a life history display at the entry. These displays include pictures and memorabilia which assist residents in finding their way and give staff, residents and visitors insight into the unique background and personality of each resident.
Resident living unit front doors open into a shared living space that includes a kitchen, dining area, living room and den. A continuous walking loop around this shared living space provides a discrete path for indoor walking on days when it is uncomfortable to be outside in the garden or on the front porch. This design eliminates typical corridors which often create confusion and anxiety for the cognitively impaired.
The kitchen is very similar to those found at home with the addition of some subtle safety features for the stove and range. Residents are encouraged to participate with caregivers in the familiar tasks of "preparing" and serving meals or to socialize at seat height counters while these activities are taking place. Nutritious meals are brought in from a central kitchen to the pod. Caregivers and residents may bake cookies, snap peas or add other touches to the main meal. Meals are served family style and residents and caregivers dine in small groups at the adjacent dining area. Juices and snacks are available in a special display refrigerator 24 hours a day.
The living room is a comfortably furnished area for sitting and quiet conversation. The den area is used for a variety of small group activities, particularly in the late afternoon. Specialized activities such as crafts and painting and large group events take place in the commons building which is shared by several pods. Support spaces within each pod also include a resident laundry center, a whirlpool spa/tub, a beauty salon and a quiet room. Colors, finishes and materials are carefully selected to provide clear contrast between surfaces and planes. Both natural and artificial light levels are designed to minimize glare and shadows.
Although the overall community is a secured environment, residents will encounter very few locked doors and these are carefully located to minimize interest. The front porch to each pod opens into a large protected garden. A meandering path traverses the garden with a variety of "destinations." These destinations may include a sensory herb garden, an active planting bed area, a picnic area, glider seat, or open lawn. Each porch entry has a different tree palette and appearance to assist in way finding. The gardens are an important part of the daily regime of the community and are the inspiration for the name – The Arboretum.
