Nonprofit senior living provider A.G. Rhodes only recently opened its first memory care community, but looking ahead CEO Deke Cateau sees more growth ahead.
In June, the organization opened a $37.5 million, 75,000-square-foot community designed as a household model for 72 residents living with dementia.The community includes the renovation of an existing building with an additional 58 units at the property in the Atlanta metro area.
The new memory care community features private rooms, a community kitchen and dining room, a living room, a sunroom, gardens, and a rehabilitation gym space. The project aims to improve resident care for those living with dementia and provide a greater quality of life as residents age in place.
“We titled our strategic plan around giving people proper dementia care by 2026, and this project is a kickstarter to that,” Cateau told Memory Care Business. “We need to look forward, and we have already started planning for what we know is going to be a long journey.”
According to Cateau, the company’s entrance into the memory care sector was a long time coming, having explored the sector since 2015. Cateau said his team was inspired by the smaller household models they observed during a trip to the Netherlands to tour dementia care communities
During the fact-finding trip overseas, Cateau noted that the team was particularly impressed by the role of community volunteership at all the locations, which supported operations. This led A.G. Rhodes to launch a volunteer corps with a volunteer director to guide the flow of extra hands in supporting residents.
The open concept and neighborhood aspects of the memory care communities overseas influenced the design of the new memory care community, with safety modifications made to adapt the model for the U.S., Cateau added.
Memory care demand driving future growth
In recent years, some senior living providers have expanded memory care and assisted living options to accommodate the higher acuity needs of today’s senior living customers, many of whom manage multiple chronic health conditions.
Planning for the new memory care community went beyond the architect’s drafting table. AG Rhodes partnered with a training organization in the years leading up to the new community to annually train staff on providing more personalized care at higher acuity levels.
“The bricks and mortar are one thing, but you have to prepare the staff and train them to properly care for those individuals living with dementia,” Cateau told Memory Care Business.
Some unique additions to the development include a horticulture therapy program and a music therapy program, aspects that have been used at A.G. Rhodes’ three existing Atlanta-area senior living communities.
Following a rebranding effort in 2016, Cateau worked with other leaders of the nonprofit provider to plan for the future around demographic-driven demand—something that’s playing out in senior living communities across the country as new cohorts consider moving into communities.
Due to a tough development climate, construction timelines have extended, and Cateau sees future opportunities in developing new memory care-focused communities at all three of A.G. Rhodes’ locations.
“This project is designed to serve as a replicable model, intentionally created to be replicated at our other two locations,” Cateau explained.
With a company-run staffing agency, A.G. Rhodes Care Solutions, the nonprofit is able to offer flexibility and fill positions as needed on a rotating basis.It has over two dozen staff in the new program, and staff are trained on person-directed care techniques.
Alongside increased training for staff, A.G. Rhodes expanded its wellness programming to include adding additional support for residents and staff, with an emphasis on physical wellness and mental health.
“The biggest thing is investing in your staff, knowing that they are going to be the ones to take care of this generation,” Cateau said. “We’ve tried to change the paradigm, and we need to really try to elevate our staff.”
Challenges ahead include potential future regulation in nursing care, from staffing requirements to overtime regulations. As a nonprofit provider, Cateau said the organization would continue efforts to work with state partners in Georgia and advocate for future regulatory changes.
As for future opportunities, Cateau said he sees a bright future for value-based care growth in senior living as Medicare Advantage plans become more easily attainable and attractive for providers.
