Serenades models advances in memory care design

Arriving at beautiful Serenades Memory Care Assisted Living, Longwood, Fla., Sunday morning, 50 Environments for Aging conference attendees were greeted by Shelley Esden, Sonata’s SVP of Operations, and her enthusiastic team. Sonata Senior Living is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonata Health Care, LLC, owner, developer and operator of senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Serenades of Sonata was recently recognized by ALFA (Assisted Living Federation of America) as a 2012 "Best of the Best" recipient given exclusively to providers with services and programs that are making significant contributions to advancing operational excellence in senior living.

Residential by design, Serenades encompasses 34,000 square feet with approximately 14,000 square feet of common area. Simple, open floor plans consisting of three small "neighborhoods," each of which has 14 units/18 beds with a living room, kitchen, family-style dining room and laundry room providing numerous interactive opportunities for residents to engage intellectually, physically and socially.

To ensure a lifestyle that is comfortable and safe while still promoting a feeling of freedom for the residents, Serenades features the latest technologies and innovations. Emergency call and roam alert systems include bed exit motion sensors, security cameras, amber lighting for cueing in the bathroom and double barrier exits.

The highlight of the tour for me was the internal courtyard that can be accessed from each neighborhood and features shaded porches and rocking chairs for relaxation. A sturdy old oak tree offers tranquility and additional shade. Residents with a passion for gardening are able to enjoy stand-up raised garden beds to tend seasonal plants.

Serenades is currently 100 percent occupied. Another Serenades memory care community opened last February at the Sonata in Melbourne, Fla., and a new Serenades by Sonata at West Orange is slated to open later this year in Winter Park, Fla.