Watercrest Senior Living Illuminating Memory Care

We’re absolutely thrilled for Watercrest  and Hollie Kemp for launching their groundbreaking new Memory Care program, Illuminate.

Illuminate is centered on the idea that residents should be defined by their life story, not their cognitive changes. The program is dedicated to creating a welcoming memory care setting where residents feel like family.

The new memory care program touches many aspects of resident wellness, such as physical fitness, food and dining, the arts, spirituality, sensory touch and horticulture and floral design. Some of the planned features include:

• Daily programming and personal life “silhouettes” for residents
• A small-plate snack program called “Aprons and Appetizers”
• A mobile app for families
• Real-time sharing of resident photos and information about activities
• Digital communication and displays across all communities
• New team training and curriculum
• A new coaching role under a fitness program dubbed “Get Active”
• Wellbeing data collection and analysis tools aimed at improving the resident experience
• New supplies, tools and resources for each community

Watercrest had a beautiful memory care design, but they felt they needed to enhance the program behind the design,” Kemp told Senior Housing News. “That’s where I get to use my expertise in memory care, to design this new program that is evidence-based and resident-focused. When someone is diagnosed with a dementia-causing disease, sometimes the disease is what we define the person by,” Kemp said. “There are years of stories behind them and there are years in front of them. When you forget about that, you change how you treat people.

Sagely is our partner for creating dynamic calendars, digital displays, communicating more efficiently/effectively with families, and perhaps most importantly for collecting important wellbeing and engagement data that will shape our program.

In addition, they are our partner in a fitness pilot we are developing. We love Sagely and appreciate their partnership. – Hollie Kemp, Resident, Customer, and Associate Experience Champion at WaterCrest.