Often people in the early stages of dementia become isolated and lose valuable social connections as they become less comfortable navigating beyond their private residence. The River Homes are a new option to bridge the gap for individuals who benefit from more support than typically provided in independent living, but do not need to live in a care-based setting.
The River Homes provide a unique co-living setting with all the comforts and human scale of a traditional home. Meal service and social planning are simply part of daily living to help residents remain engaged and living well based on their individual interests and preferences.
Envisioning a new option to enable people with dementia to live well required a conscious effort to consistently balance quality of life experiences with safety and operational efficiency. This overarching objective was achieved by program goals articulated by people living with dementia and their family members through focus groups. They served as the foremost experts on what the priorities should be.
Program elements integrating nature, music and the arts became the priorities. The design result is a residential model that attends to the senses with the sounds of water and music, the smells of cooking, the sights of flowers and artwork, and even the comfort of freshly washed laundry. Rather than focusing on fences or walls, the plan adapts to the hillside site with protected elevated spaces that allow anyone to move freely throughout the day, accessing community common amenities across the courtyard.
Constructed to assisted living code standards, the River Homes are two well-appointed residences that function and feel like New England cottages. Each home provides a co-living setting with 15 private rooms, one studio and two one-bedroom apartments. Each individual room is designed for flexibility, most with space to accommodate a spouse or other care partner, and one studio including a kitchenette. The one bedroom apartment on the top floor can be adapted to multiple uses as well: a resident and loved one in need of more space, a staff member supporting the household, or a nursing student training in the profession.