You may be in a season of life that is full of challenges; physical, cognitive and emotional. You may be a senior who is frustrated and confused by these challenges, or you may be a family caregiver who is feeling overwhelmed by trying to provide love and care for a senior who is so dear to you, and you may need help. While these challenges may be very difficult, with the right support they can be faced with dignity, grace and even gentle humor. Our Maple Cottage family stands ready to partner with you and your loved ones to provide a home where this type of support is the essence of who we are. In this environment, each day can stand alone as an opportunity to thrive, and to find moments of singular joy regardless of the challenges of growing older or where you find yourself with regard to your physical, cognitive and emotional health. Together we will strive to optimize these moments, regardless of the challenges of that particular day.
What is life like at Maple Cottage? As with all stages of life, each day is what we make of it. In order to make each day stand alone as an opportunity to experience joy, we at Maple Cottage strive for the following:
- to be happy, and to share that happiness with those around us
- to play: to find the child in each person
- to enjoy: good food, good company, good humor
- to comfort through difficult times, and to seek comfort from one another
- to create home and family
We call this The Oasis Approach.
The Oasis Approach
Everyone who loves someone with Alzheimer’s Disease or a related dementia wants to keep them at home and care for them. But for many family members, the 24 hour demand of caring for another adult who may have extraordinary needs— physical, emotional and behavioral— the task can be overwhelming. But equally overwhelming is the feeling that placing your loved one in a “facility” feels like letting both yourself and them down in some way. At Maple Cottage, we know how important being part of a home and family is—for everyone. If your loved one can no longer remain in your home (or their own) because of care and supervision needs, then let us welcome them into our home, Maple Cottage.
Our small size—only 16 residents—allows us the opportunity to focus on your loved one as a family member, learning their likes and dislikes,and coming to understand and provide those things which make them feel calm, loved and comforted, and learning and avoiding those things which create anxiety.
Your loved one can thrive in a simple environment, where the focus is not on resort-style amenities and square footage, but rather on people and their individual needs. So often Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia rob seniors of their ability to express their needs, including needs related to their feelings:
- Something hurts, and I need pain relief
- I’m hungry / I’m thirsty
- I’d like to go to the bathroom
- I need to be alone and rest for a little while
- I need to be around others for a time and interact with them
- I can’t remember much, but I’d like to play and imagine
- I’m sad today, and I don’t know why
- I’d just like to touch someone…maybe hold hands or get a hug
- I feel happy, and I’d like to sing
This is where the Maple Cottage family makes all the difference for your loved one. Because of our small size, professional expertise/experience and stable, family-oriented staffing, those needs that can no longer be adequately expressed can be determined through careful individual attention in our intimate setting.