Colorado Real Estate Journal - March 18, 2015
MorningStarMemory Care at Bear Creek, set on five acres at the foot of the Rockies in Colorado Springs, is the second joint venture between MorningStar Senior Living and Millennium Venture Group. While its elegance and proportions suggest a luxurious resort, every detail of this $10.3 million memory care community is deliberate in creating a warm and inviting residence. “When you walk through the front door, it is as if you’ve entered the living room of a lovely private home,” said Ken Jaeger, founder and chief operating officer of MorningStar. “The softness of the lighting, the rich wood and the aquarium all give Bear Creek an atmosphere of serenity.” MorningStar at Bear Creek’s most stunning feature is the central gathering room, with a vaulted ceiling and exposed beams reminiscent of a cathedral. Soft, leather lounge seating in burnt orange and turquoise surround the double-sided stone hearth. The walls contain historic photographs of Garden of the Gods, cliff dwellings and The Broadmoor. “The welcoming feeling continues everywhere you walk and the contiguous hallways and common areas invite you to sit back and relax,” said Jaeger. Other amenities include a bistro, fitness room, salon and two great rooms where living and dining mingle. From its hardwood floors and reflective tile to upholstered comfort, each space bears the award-winning mark of Thoma-Holec Design, specialists in senior living interiors. “When families tour, they are amazed to discover how bright and homey the community is,” said Kimberly Erickson, senior vice president of operations of MorningStar. MorningStar teamed up with architects Rosemann & Associates to design Bear Creek’s 38,000 square feet in full consideration of the dispositions and behaviors of those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Long hallways typically define memory care facilities and for residents who are prone to wander, these passages leave seniors feeling lost and disoriented. “After considering a number of options, we decided upon a figure-eight floor plan,” said Erickson. “Whichever path residents choose to explore, they come to open areas where people and activities invite involvement.” The interior of Bear Creek blends seamlessly with exterior courtyards, fireside patios and strolling paths placed around 75 percent of the building. Residents are unhindered in their walking patterns, and can find sunshine or shade as they please. Many residents own dogs, and naturally want the responsibility of taking their dogs on walks. At Bear Creek they can. “It was incredibly important to us to support choice and independence as much as possible, and provide a home where residents don’t feel restricted,” said Erickson. “I’m proud to say that all exterior doors at Bear Creek (with the exception of the front door) open freely to secured outdoor areas.” “We have a security system in place that sends an alert when anyone passes a threshold,” said Rebecca Martin, reflections coordinator. “When staff is alerted to check on a resident, we often find that they are just out soaking up the sun.” “Bear Creek’s site is ideal because of its natural surroundings,” said Erickson. “We want the experience to be similar to a private residential home. We want residents to be able to enjoy the outdoors and watch cars and neighbors pass by. The beautiful courtyards allow that. The days of solid barriers that block the outside world are a thing of the past. Here you can see views of mountains and the city and the blue Colorado sky.” MorningStar prides itself on handling dementia care with professionalism and respect for each resident. “What we offer, how we communicate and how we touch lives is all marked with dignity, love and a deep compassion for each resident,” said Martin. “The creative side of what we do starts with learning about our residents. Through interviews with the family, we get a clear understanding of a resident’s full history. We discover core motivators, abilities and idiosyncrasies.” The knowledge that MorningStar’s staff gains is used to aid in care and create trust between staff members and residents. One example is when a resident moved to Bear Creek with a broken arm. The resident refused to cooperate with the physical therapist, or even rise from her bed. Because staff members knew the woman was a professional pianist (having played at the White House and in concert halls around the world), they persuaded her that her arm must be looked at if she wanted to play the piano again. The attitude shift was instantaneous. Suddenly, she was happy to slide onto a piano bench. When the physical therapist tried to wrap up the session, the resident replied, “I don’t want to be done. I have quite a bit of practice left to do.” Bear Creek also has quickly become a resource center for Colorado Springs, offering an eight-hour dementia care course free to families and professionals. Eager students are taught a variety of natural therapies to calm, soothe and redirect. The coursework follows the teachings of the Alzheimer’s Association. And through the association, MorningStar at Bear Creek has been designated as a “leader in dementia care.”