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ESKATON MARKETING DIRECTOR Pamela Dallas stands in the Memory Care Center while a Bingo game is in progress at 3380 Blairs Lane in Placerville. Democrat photos by Shelly Thorene
Eskaton Village Placerville has been open for 3 1/2 years and in that time, the retirement community has blossomed. The landscaping has filled out; courtyards are filled with flowers and The Lodge is full.
“We’re one hundred percent filled,” said Pamela Dallas, Marketing Director of Eskaton Village Placerville. “We didn’t expect this in Placerville so soon.” The multi-level community at 3380 Blairs Lane includes 48 patio homes for independent living, 64 assisted living apartments at The Lodge and a Memory Care Center.
“Some people tell us we’re like a cruise ship,” said Dallas, “because we offer so many amenities and assistance so that people can enjoy their retirement years without having to worry.” Dallas is quick to point out that the Placerville Village is a community of homes for seniors, not a medical facility. “People enjoy their retirement here in their homes. We aren’t a medical facility and we don’t have skilled nursing.”
That isn’t to say there isn’t care for those who need it, but it’s more in the line of cruise ship care. In The Lodge, music floats through the hallways and residents take advantage of the fitness center, the barber/beauty salon, library, the spa and heated pool and computers. While those who live in the patio homes are completely independent, residents of The Lodge can be as independent or receive as much assistance as they choose.
“We provide different levels of care to help residents live with dignity and independence,” said Dallas. Care includes daily living services like meals in the restaurant-like dining room so that residents don’t have to cook; laundry and housekeeping services, assistance with grooming and hygiene, staff to help with medication management and to arrange appointments with personal physicians and dentists.
When changes indicate a need for more care, the Eskaton staff works with the residents, their physicians, and family members to choose the best type of living arrangement and services to maintain the community member’s activity level and dignity. “We want to keep our community members active, vibrant and living their life to the fullest,” said Dallas. “We try not to do things for people that they can do for themselves.”
The”Dawn of a New Day” Memory Care Center allows residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease a safe, secure environment with support for daily living, activities for keeping cognitive functioning active, music, many physical activities and plenty of color and music.
“Music therapy is very important,” said Dallas. “Music opens pathways and people who can no longer read and follow a book, can follow songs from their youth and sing along.”
Residents have individual apartments in the thoughtfully decorated Center. Textured wall coverings, paintings and wall decoration offer a tactile experience for residents. Two small dining rooms instead of one large room keep residents from being overwhelmed and the courtyard, blooming with flowers residents have planted, offers a place for those who enjoy gardening and being outdoors.
All of the Eskaton employees, from kitchen staff to administration, have been specially trained in how to deal with dementia. “It’s a misconception that people with dementia aren’t intelligent,” said Dallas. “These are educated, intelligent, fun people.”
New at The Lodge is “Quiet Care”, a building-wide sensor system that quietly alerts staff when someone leaves or enters the building.
“It’s our newest safety feature,”said Dallas. The Memory Center has its own, additional security measures, but residents have much autonomy even without leaving the building, said Dallas.
