Chateau Girardeau focuses on security, individuality at new memory care wing

The Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau has renovated a section of its facility to care for elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Called The Meadows at Chateau Girardeau, it is the retirement community’s first designated memory care wing.

“We previously offered a memory care unit in our skilled nursing unit, but what we have found is there was such a need in the assisted living realm for memory care that we wanted to be sure we could offer that full continuum of care,” explained Chelsie Reagan, vice president of health services at Chateau Girardeau. “It’s been in talks for many years, but probably about a year ago is kind of when we got serious about it.”

Three residents have already moved into the 16-room wing, with others joining them in the coming weeks. Chateau Girardeau leadership are already looking to expand The Meadows in the future.

“We’re going to realize really quick that 16 beds isn’t enough. If you look at the demographics and statistics in our area, the need for these beds way outnumbers the actual memory care beds in our community. We think this is phase one of our memory care offering,” president and chief executive officer Jimmy Wilferth said.

Wilferth said memory decline often starts with short-term problems. People can remember things from their childhood and their personal preferences, but forget about things that happened in previous days – like if they took their medication or not.

Methods of management

The Meadows uses the Montessori Method in its memory care service. Originally developed for early childhood lessons, this method focuses on providing people with a sense of purpose and maintaining independence through a crafted environment when applied to elderly residents.

The director of sales and marketing for the Ohio-based Center for Applied Research in Dementia, Stacey Flint, even visited The Meadows to train Chateau Girardeau leadership and frontline staff about the Montessori Method.

“She is very well versed in Montessori memory care, 20-plus years of experience with it personally and professionally, and that was just such a huge benefit for us to get someone of that caliber to come in and breathe in to what we’re doing here,” Reagan said.

Part of the program is an activity station featuring drawing and painting materials, what Reagan called ‘cognitive ramps.’

“It really encourages them to come and get their hands dirty,” she said. “It’s very inviting, lets them know it’s a space they’re welcome to use.”

A daily schedule promotes routine. Reagan and Wilferth also plan to institute committees for the residents to join so they can feel connected.

Living features

Rooms feature beds, televisions, dressers, seating areas and walk-in showers. A 14,400 square foot fenced-in courtyard will feature a gazebo, swings and paths for residents to safely walk around outdoors.

Wilferth estimated the entire wing cost around $500,000 to renovate, including some rooms still being prepared. Each room is customized for their future residents.

Unique word art of meaningful people and places to the residents is hung on every door, providing caretakers and visitors a snapshot of who they are and what they can talk about to jog the residents’ memories.

“It also helps orient them to know this is their space, this is their home, this is their room. It just helps them remember and eases that anxiety on remembering where they’re supposed to go,” Reagan said.

These are examples, she added, of things Chateau Girardeau leadership is learning from other memory care organizations.

“That’s what most important to me, that people feel loved and provided for. If we can provide that, it’s a win,” Wilferth said.

Reagan said her team spent months on safety and security for the residents. To prevent them from wandering away, people need to use a badge to exit The Meadows wing.

Working at The Meadows

People do not have to be existing Chateau Girardeau residents to be accepted into The Meadows. Reagan said she and her admissions coordinator Cheryl Klueppel are available daily to showcase the memory care wing and answer questions from people who are interested in having their relatives live there.

“It has been a true team effort, but this is something Chelsie has been extremely passionate about. It was one of the first things we talked about when I came a year ago,” Wilferth said.

He added that he and Reagan were selective about the quality of employees to staff The Meadows.

“If you’re not called to be in health care, to take care of somebody in their time of need, you shouldn’t be in it. So we ask some pretty tough questions and pointed questions,” he said.

Reagan said working on The Meadows was fulfilling on a personal as well as professional level.

“I have Alzheimer’s and dementia that is prominent in my family so I have family members who have since passed on who could have immensely benefitted from a program like this,” she said. “It’s such a beautiful thing for me to be a part of something that is going to benefit families like the family I had.”

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