Rainier Grove: Memory Care with a Personal Touch

Worth a thousand words: Paul (in pink shirt), a Rainier Grove resident, enjoys himself at a bridge game with friends.

It was a simple photo, but it made her day.

Paul is a resident of Rainier Grove Memory Care Center at Cherry Ridge. His daughter Maureen lives and works in New York City. She calls regularly but can’t visit as often as she’d like. And that can be difficult.

When a bridge club formed at Cherry Ridge, Paul joined and it became part of his routine. Staff snapped a picture of him at the card table, smiling, with his fellow players and emailed it to Maureen.

“It made her day,” says Jeanne Mulley, former co-director of Rainier Grove (now retired). “Seeing her father enjoying himself was just what she needed.”

Whether your loved one’s passion is bridge or some other pursuit, they don’t have to give it up when they enter Rainier Grove. In fact, not giving it up is what the community is all about.

“We learn what makes each resident tick and we build their care around that,” Jeanne says. That level of individual attention is what distinguishes Rainier Grove from other communities serving people with memory loss.

Upon arriving, residents and their families fill out an “I Care” plan that tells staff who they are: their interests, achievements, what motivates them, even—if they choose—the tiniest detail, like how they take their coffee. That information allows staff to create an environment that feels familiar and comfortable for each resident.

Every place has a care plan, but ours is much more in-depth and personalized,” says Carrie Huther, co-manager of Rainier Grove. “And it doesn’t get filed away, it gets acted upon.”

For example:
• Lou was a cook whose specialty was shrimp scampi. Staff shopped for the ingredients and Lou prepared his signature dish for his neighbors.
• Jean had been a doctor in private practice. Her 30-year career was acknowledged and celebrated.
• Tom was an avid golfer. A makeshift putting green in the hallway motivated him to socialize.

“We think it’s important that your ‘claim to fame’ carries on in your later years,” Jeanne says. That personalized approach not only makes residents feel good, it helps their families.

We learn what makes each resident tick and we build their care around that.”

“It builds up a sense of security, that we know their loved one,” says Carrie. “They understand that we’re not a clinical unit, we’re a home. We’re a family.”

Rainier Grove Memory Care Center is located on the campus of St. Ann’s Community at Cherry Ridge, Webster. For more information, call (585) 697-6720. Learn more about Rainier Grove HERE.