100-Unit Mt. Bachelor Assisted Living & Memory Care Evokes Home Feel
The new 100-unit Mt. Bachelor Assisted Living & Memory Care Residence, incorporating features such as a piano lounge, fitness center, theater room, social spaces and dining areas in an expansive environment seeking to fully engage residents in maximizing quality of life goals, has been unveiled off Powers Road on Bend’s south side.
An expansion on the site of Mt. Bachelor Memory Care’s original 56-unit residence —
which opened in 2013 and was fully subscribed within 12 months — the new 72,000 square foot, three-storey facility features 76 modern assisted living apartment homes, plus 24 memory care apartments in a separate wing devoted to providing care and service delivery to seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease or other related forms of dementia.
Designed by Steele Associates Architects and constructed by SunWest Builders, the recently opened complex is filling up rapidly in response to rising demand for such niche options which operators Frontier Management say is dedicated to quality care by a full service team, catering to a growing senior population.
A variety of floor plans including studios and one-bedroom suites are available in a soothing, aesthetically-pleasing overall environment including comfortable community space, artwork, a theater room that can also stream live events such as local church services, full-service dining facilities including Italian-style bistro, exercise rooms, outdoor walkways and gardens and a supportive staff on hand around the clock.
Marketing Director Rachelle Gillespie said, “The overriding management philosophy is for our residents to be fully involved, not just entertained.
“We’ve realized today’s senior citizens and their adult children are looking for a more engaging lifestyle.
“People have changed. We are adapting this to today’s seniors and today’s adult children. We are really removing stigmas and daunting fear of looking at assisted living sites for loved ones and our mission is always to place our residents’ well being and comfort first in all decisions made.
“As part of that we aim to offer lots of opportunities for social interaction and engagement in a beautiful, hands-on living social environment and strive to provide a home-comfort feel as much as possible.”
Gillespie said the philosophy recognizes the importance of individual identity and the value of purpose and community, and toward that end employs Lifestyle Coordinators to enhance daily activities.
“There are no ‘standard’ activity schedules; rather we build a calendar around resident interests and wants,” she added.
“There is a significant, expanding need to provide residential accommodations coupled with professional health care services for our senior family and friends.
“We want to provide a place that resembles home, with all its comforts and security for seniors who are no longer content living alone or independently, yet do not desire or need the intensive care provided by skilled nursing facilities.
“We aim to bring a caliber of expertise not only in retirement living, but a management style integrated with a sincere compassion for the residents.”
Involvement in the surrounding community is emphasized and each year residents, their families, community members and staff combine skills on a variety of projects, intergenerational programs, volunteering, and fundraising efforts creating partnerships aiming to enhance the lives of everyone involved.
Residents also benefit from the innovative Pathways program, a philosophy focused on memory care based on Montessori principles that creates a specialized, life-enriching environment affording each individual maximum self-expression.
Designed to help individuals with memory loss maintain function, proponents say individually tailored life enrichment programs provide the stability of a routine while maximizing independence, autonomy and development of close bonds between residents, their families and caregivers, enhanced by wellness programs.
Montessori-based activities are also modeled after rehabilitative exercises and occupational therapy, and by accessing procedural memory most residents reportedly will be able to improve skills, and even learn new ones. Furniture staining, soap-making and canning jam are among the current activities that build on skills the Bend residents already have, and give them a tangible result at the end.
Conditions such as dementia affect existing memories, but don’t prevent residents from potentially forming new neural pathways. Gillespie added, “We are really focused on a treatment approach rather than medication. No matter how advanced a condition may be, the brain is still capable of building new cells, and by accessing procedural memory new habits and skills can be developed for continual learning.”
Regarding the overall environment provided, she observed, “This beautiful building offers a sense of home and comfort, as we understand how important this is to our residents and their loved ones.
“There is a consistent need for this type of facility, which is becoming more prevalent with an increasingly aging population, and we emphasize comfort and security in a familiar type of setting that is not confining and does not have a lot of barriers.
“We had a great team on board involved in design and construction which made sure the process went as smoothly as possible, and the fact we are already filling up and with a number of advance reservations speaks to the level of demand.”
Project Principal Architect and Steele Associates President Scott Steele said, “Steele Associates Architects wants to thank Mt. Bachelor Assisted Living and Memory Care Residence for selecting us to design their projects here and in Keizer.
“Combined, these projects represent more than 170 residences for seniors in Oregon and that is a very important achievement. We worked very diligently with SunWest Builders and the client to deliver an outstanding new facility that will provide an exceptional level of care to the seniors in our community in need of such residences.
“Steele Associates and SunWest worked closely together on an accelerated schedule during an extremely busy bidding climate to bring the project in on schedule against very challenging circumstances. We want to thank SunWest Builders and their subcontractors for working very hard to meet the client’s schedule, and for closely collaborating with us.”
Expansion of ancillary services and specialty care among assisted living providers continued at a steady pace this year, with companies maintaining an optimistic outlook for the sector.
Frontier President Greg Roderick said, “We have continued to remain focused on delivering outstanding care and a life enrichment program that sets our communities apart. This dedication is also what attracts our professional and compassionate leadership and team members.
“We work daily on enhancing the lifestyle experience and comfort of each resident by improving the look and feel of our communities and we feel that our residents deserve a beautiful home.
“Our reach continues to expand in all areas of our nation. This year we have opened new communities such as this in Oregon, California and Texas which are beautiful and vital additions to these markets.”
About Frontier
The new facility is operated by Frontier Management which runs specialized senior housing and services throughout the U.S., with a concentration in the Pacific Northwest.
Frontier has expertise in retirement and assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and nursing homes, emphasizing commitment, compassion and caring to residents and was recently ranked among the top fourty senior living providers in the U.S. by Provider magazine, published by the American Health Care Association National Center for Assisted Living.
Mt. Bachelor Assisted
Living & Memory Care
20215 Powers Rd., Bend, OR 97702
541-388-9800 • www.mtbachelorassistedliving.com
Property Owner/Developer:
Burghardt Investments
Contractor: SunWest Builders
Project Cost: $11.7 million
Square Footage: 72,000
Project Manager: Wayne Powderly
Supervisor: Mike Jones
Architect: Steele Associates
Architects LLC
Principal Architects: Scott Steele,
Patrice Anderson, Steve Olson,
Adam Stephen
Structural Engineer: Froelich Engineers
Civil Engineer: Hickman, Williams
& Associates, Inc
Mechanical Engineer: CEA Engineering
Landscaping Architect:
Homeland Design
Subcontractors and Suppliers
AM-1 Roofing, Inc., Architectural Metalcrafters Inc., Aspen Landscape Development, Baxter Builders, Bend CAD Department, Bend Commercial Glass, Bend Concrete Services, Co., Bend Heating & Sheetmetal, Inc., Carlson Sign, Cascade Painting & Design, Inc., CSN Construction, D&B Interiors, LLC, Dave Gerhardt Tile, Energy Conservation Insulation, Fremont Millwork Co., Geraghty Mechanical, Inc., Great Northern Window and Door, Guarantee Glass & Mirror, Inc., J & R Fire Protection, Johnson Bros. Appliances, Lake View Millwork Sales, LDC, Inc., Mike’s Fence Center, Miller Lumber, North Country Building Specialties, Northwest Millwork, Inc., Paradigm Engineering, Proside Construction, Qualified Envelope Diagnostics, Inc., R-2 Contractors, Rasmussen Masonry, Resist-All Seamless Gutters, Roger Langeliers Construction, Rubenstein’s Contract Carpet, Superior Finishing Inc., LLC, Severson Plumbing, Smith & Greene Company, Sunburst Fabrications, Inc., ThyseenKrupp, Tomco Electric, Inc., Truss Components of Oregon, Ultra Quiet Floors, US Mailboxes dba Pilot Development, Inc., Washington Automated, Western Protective Coatings
