Cottage Style Neighborhoods: The Best of Both Worlds in Assisted Living and Memory Care
When it comes to choosing the right senior care option, families often find themselves considering either “big box” communities or residential assisted living. Camellia Place, with its cottage-style neighborhoods, offers the perfect blend of both worlds, creating a unique and exceptional experience for its residents. Although we admit our bias as a firm advocate for Camellia Place, the differences are worth comparing.
Residential Assisted Living / Care Home: Residential care homes have the advantage of creating an intimate, family-like setting for older adults. With a small house that can feel like a home, residents can enjoy a comfortable and familiar environment. Additionally, the high staff to resident ratio ensures personalized care, as caregivers have more opportunity to build strong connections with each individual.
However, residential care homes can face numerous challenges. For example, when staff members call out, the responsibility often falls on current employees or owners to fill in, leading to potential stress and disruptions for both staff and residents. Personal home caregivers are usually responsible for cooking meals. If they lack culinary training and expertise, will they be skilled at meal planning and preparation? The absence of a full-time maintenance person and housekeeping can also impact the overall care environment. Additionally, the cottage manager may not always have the same training and experience that a full-time Executive Director in a senior living community would require. Personal care homes may also lack after-hours support, which can be a concern for families looking for around-the-clock assistance.
Big Box: On the other end of the spectrum, “big box” senior communities offer a wealth of amenities, often resembling luxurious resorts. On a broader scale, these communities can hire top team members in various disciplines, ensuring comprehensive care for their residents.
These typically have the long hallways, which can present challenges for older adults, making it harder for them to attend events or meals. The vastness of the setting can create a less intimate atmosphere, making it overwhelming for some residents, especially for individuals living with memory loss. Additionally, while amenities such as a pool or coffee shop are common, resources allocated to building and maintaining these spaces might reduce the resources available for resident activities or individualized care.
Cottage Neighborhood: Camellia Place’s cottage style neighborhood combines the best aspects of both residential care homes and “big box” senior living communities. The atmosphere at Camellia Place resembles a comfortable, loving home. With high staff to resident ratios, every individual receives attentive and personalized care from a dedicated team who are right there when you need them. If you feel overwhelmed in larger social settings, this is much more tolerable.
Despite having many resources like larger senior living communities, every resident suite at Camellia Place is just steps away from common areas such as the kitchen, living room and media lounge, ensuring that these shared spaces are accessible to all residents. The close-knit environment encourages strong social connections, making it effortless for seniors to engage in activities that suit their interests.
Camellia Place’s neighborhood of cottages offers the best of both worlds in assisted living and memory care. With the charm of a cozy home and the benefits of a well-staffed, amenity-rich community, Camellia Place residents can enjoy their next chapter of life that balances comfort, social interaction, and access to highly trained specialists to support them.
