The Osborn has dealt with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia for as long as they’ve been in operation, said CEO Mark Zwerger. But as these diseases have become earlier and better diagnosed and understood, The Osborn’s thinking and planning has evolved.

 

By Robin Jovanovich

 

The Osborn has dealt with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia for as long as they’ve been in operation, said CEO Mark Zwerger. But as these diseases have become earlier and better diagnosed and understood, The Osborn’s thinking and planning has evolved.

 

If all goes according to plan, The Osborn will start construction this fall and open an Assisted Living Memory Care Center in January 2013.

 

“The No. 1 risk factor for Alzheimer’s is old age,” said Mr. Zwerger, “and the average age of our residents is 87-plus. To help better care for people with this disease, we’re taking one floor of one wing, gutting it, and designing a space for them.”

 

The center will hold 12 or 13 patients, half of them current Osborn residents. A series of rooms will be built around a great room with access to the outside, overlooking the Betty Neagle Garden. The garden is not only beautiful, but boasts memory technology. The Osborn will add a program manager.

 

“Our goal is to provide continued self-interaction — to engage them and empathize with them,” said the CEO.

 

Kathy Lonergan, Clinical Operations Manager, added, “What we’ve always tried to do is not focus on the diagnosis as much as safety and care. One of the best things about this new center is that it will be a self-contained neighborhood.”

 

Part of the vision for the project is engaging caregivers and families to a greater degree. “Any connection is important in the care of these patients,” said Mr. Zwerger. “The scale is right for what we want to do. We’re so pleased to be able to advance this institution in a small, dedicated way. We’ll learn from this and move forward accordingly.”

 

Meanwhile, The Osborn is moving quickly forward with its new Rehabilitation Center, which is scheduled for completion in December. Their short-term caseload has jumped from five to 30 and they are growing to meet community needs.

On November 11, The Osborn will hold a black-tie Remembrance Ball to raise funds for the new Memory Care Center.