JEFFERSON COUNTY —The senior-care facility the Gardens at Columbine is nearly ready to open its memory-care residence that will give the home the ability to serve residents experiencing memory issues.
In the past, the Gardens at Columbine — 5130 W. Ken Caryl Ave. — had to turn away residents if they began to experience the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
“One of the biggest reasons we see residents we can no longer care for is because of Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Gardens at Columbine executive director Jeremy Klassen.
But with the new $6 million facility, and about 30 new staffers with experience dealing with seniors with memory problems, the Gardens at Columbine will be able to serve up to 32 seniors with severe memory issues. Currently the home serves 100 seniors.
The facility — which broke ground in October 2013 — should be ready for residents sometime in September, but no official open date has been announced. The plan is to move in 16 seniors during the first month. Most of the rooms have been reserved, with a few still open.
The Gardens at Columbine’s new structure, which is immediately to the west of the main building, will have 26 units with most featuring a single bedroom and a restroom. The idea is to have the residents out in the common areas so they aren’t isolated in their units. Some of the units will have a second bedroom.
The common area will consist of an activity room and a residential kitchen. There will also be a walking area.
“There’s going to be a flourish of folks moving in as soon as we get started,” sales and marketing director Cyndy Walters said.
The need for memory care facilities in Jefferson County has been on the uptick in recent years as Jefferson County has more seniors living in the area than any other county in Colorado.
“When we age, no matter what, there is going to be a need for more memory care facilities,” said Rena Kuberski, program manager for aging and adult services at Jefferson County Human Services.
Kuberski said that while there hasn’t necessarily been a shortage of senior living facilities, most have not had care for seniors with diseases that affect memory. She speculated that a need for a specialized staff and the behavioral issues associated with patients who have memory deficits have likely steered those facilities away from establishing memory-care centers.
She said there are two memory-care facilities opening soon elsewhere in the county, and her organization is glad to see that.
“I think we’re all excited whenever we see a place open or see an open house. You never know when it might be needed,” Kuberski said, adding that there is a shortage of memory facilities that accept Medicaid.
Gardens at Columbine is a private-pay facility and does not accept Medicaid. Klassen said the new facility will be a small and intimate memory-care residence and he is glad the Gardens at Columbine is able to meet a new need.
“Certainly the Denver area has been earmarked for a long time for senior housing development,” Klassen said. “Memory care is the next need that’s being met.”
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joe_vacc
