Providing a New Standard in Care Giving
Bill Karns, a luxury condominium developer got involved in the assisted living developments after realizing that financing for a new luxury development wouldn’t be possible due to the slump in the economy.
After doing his research and exploring various different facilities around the country, Karns launched Brentwood Senior Living. Karns soon fell in love with the assisted living philosophy and vowed to make his developments the new standard in the industry. Five years on, the community is thriving, with over 180 residents and 133 people on staff.
Basing their care on a medical model, the center’s nurses can do more than most other facilities due to the its extended congregate care license says Executive Director Avi Elias. The community also has round the clock caregivers who are all certified, setting them miles apart from others in the industry.
Based in St. Petersburg, the development provides both assisted living and extended congregate care services. The center currently has 168 apartments across three buildings, with around 38 of those are dedicated to memory care.
Memory Care
Brentwood’s memory care apartments are quite unique by design; built specifically for people with Dementia, Alzheimer’s or related memory care challenges.
From doting staff members who are all certified by the National Council of Dementia Practitioners to innovative community design and programming, the center is one of a kind in the state of Florida. With memory challenges affecting the daily routines of those affected, the Brentwood staff encourages their residents to be independent and active within their community.
By providing mental stimulation through color-coded walls, memory boxes, walking paths and music, residents are able to maintain their general health and overall well-being while at Brentwood.
Dedicated Staff Members
According to Elias, around 90% of the center’s staff work either in nursing or in the dining service department, with the rest working in housekeeping and administration.
The staff at the Brentwood community is carefully selected and made up of dedicated professionals who have experience in providing care in a compassionate and considerate manner. From their most active residents to those who need more attention, care is provided to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
All of the nurses are licensed, and have the proper tools to provide the best care for all the residents. Trained in geriatric health and wellness, everyone works together to create a healthy and fulfilling environment for their residents. Nurses are on call day and night to give their residents support when needed.
With doctors on site and access to urgent medical care when needed, the center has provided residents with what they need in order to keep them out of nursing homes.
In terms of the working culture, Elias maintains that the center views themselves not just as a healthcare facility but a hospitality organization, which means that every employee tries to provide a high level of service.
By empowering their staff, employees have the ability to make decisions that are best for their residents, strengthening the bond between them, and creating a relationship that goes beyond caregiver and tenant.
Happy Residents
With a commitment to provide programs that will keep residents physically, socially and mentally active, the center provides a wide array of activities for all those living in the center. A great example of that is Brentwood University, which is a program to promote lifelong learning, and brings in members of the community to give lectures to the residents on a wide range of topics.
Brentwood also provides intergenerational opportunities by organizing events for the seniors to meet with children from pre-schools and elementary schools.
“Here at Brentwood we have a philosophy of providing enrichment versus entertainment,†says Elias, who believes that activities that stimulate the minds of the residents are what will keep them most fulfilled. By allocating 50% of it’s square footage to common areas, the developer has really created a community that encourages residents to be part of the bigger community an engage with one another. This is a key factor that has set the facility apart from their competition says Elias.
Whether cooking with friends of getting a treatment in the spa, there is a number of activities the residents are able to participate in, providing them with an enriching and stimulating experience everyday.
A Bright Future
By providing a new standard of excellence in providing care to seniors in need of assistance, the Brentwood facilities truly focus on the needs of providing their residents with a fulfilling and healthy life, surrounded by those who care.
A commitment to excellence and an emphasis on service has made Brentwood a leader in its industries, with many of its competitors following suit.
With their goals in mind, the center has gone through a phase of rapid growth, with three more projects in the pipeline. With its commitment to service and the highest levels of care, the center is sure to set the standards for assisted living in its state for years to come.
