Villa South’s Newly Reimagined “Stepping Stones” Memory Care Center

Villa South was the first licensed, secure memory care community by the Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) in Corpus Christi back in 1994. This community is called “Stepping Stones.” Families — sons/daughters, grandchildren or spouses — make a difficult, but necessary, decision to move their loved one to a memory care community. Often times the responsible family member has cared for their loved one for years, and now face the realization that it is time for mom, grandpa or spouse to get specialized memory care in a secure dementia/ Alzheimer’s community. Villa is tasked with providing a nurturing and stimulating environment for residents with memory loss and cognitive issues.

Families entrust the care of their loves to the Villa Team. Over the past year, under the guidance of Executive Director Mary Martinez, Villa’s Activity Director Robin Cohea, has implemented a 4-step Formula for a Successful, Happy Day in Stepping Stones. There is an Activity Room daily schedule for residents consisting of the four formulas listed below. Villa also has a Theater daily schedule for residents on hospice or who need some quiet time.

Four-Step Formula

One — Cognitive

Two — Art

Three — Physical

Four — Social

One — Cognitive

Villa offers several ways to nurture residents’ cognitive needs. As you enter Stepping Stones, you will see an array of Boxes each with items strategically selected for residents to “rummage” in. “To Rummage” is to explore and discover. It goes with the “yes you may” attitude in Stepping Stones. This encouragement from staff to explore the available bins helps tremendously with restlessness and allows our residents to feel more confident in their environment. Residents are encouraged to move about and explore!

Villa has found that specific residents behavior has improved because “yes” is the norm, rather than no. One resident named Jose kept breaking the door knobs of apartments. Since the “rummaging” opportunity is available daily, his behavior has improved and he is happier!

Care giving staff are encouraged by management to interact on a “friend level” with Villa residents. After staff help residents with Activities of Daily Living such as showering, staff engage with residents doing Art, brain games or just grab a bin and explore together. Bins might have all types of balls in different shapes, sizes and materials, baby bottles, bibs, brushes, pacifiers, and diapers that residents explore that can bring comfort and memories of their children or grandchildren. One resident was consumed with delight by a bin that had an alien mask!

Villa Staff also do daily “Brain Games” which are interactive and stretch residents’ memories. One brain game in particular is “Gone Fishing,” a game with little fish and a little fishing magnetic fishing pole. The pond is a large blue cloth. Fish have words imprinted on different colored backgrounds, so residents can sort for fish for a color or a word, depending on individual ability levels.

Another game focuses on “art and memory” in which residents match, for example, a bird or giraffe or a particular piece of art. Once matched, the monitor will lead a discussion about a particular artist.

The artful Christian is another new “game.” Activity Director Robin uses these for 10 – 20 minute bible study

Two — Art Therapy

Art therapy is another daily activity. Villa’s Emily Jasso has successfully completed her Art Therapy Practionner certificate. Emily’s art background provides a wealth of talent and enthusiasm to share her love of art with her residents. “Art with Emily” includes sculpting, water color painting, creative crafting, sketching and collages with a different experience daily. Assisted Living residents are encouraged to attend all sessions.

Three — Physical

People of all ages flourish with physical activity — and dementia residents are no exception. Physical activity is imperative for residents with dementia and memory impairment. Outdoor walks are offered daily, typically in the early morning or late in the day due to the hot weather in Corpus Christi. Often, Stepping Stones residents walk with their Assisted Living counterparts.

Chair exercise class is daily as well. One of Villa’s Activity Directors is certified in Ageless Grace, a practice of storytelling through exercise. Residents not only move, but also laugh and shout out different locations where they “mind travel.” For example, a popular destination during our “mind travel” is ‘Walmart.” Staff and residents might run down the halls to catch a perfect item on sale. Alternately, they might push a shopping cart or lean in to pick up dropped items. Participants are asked to think about their shopping experiences and staff play off these encounters. “Mind Travel” becomes a social, cognitive and physical activity. It also serves to improve communication, reduce agitation and anxiety, while providing an atmosphere of social engagement with peers.

Director Robin says, “If you tell a story and during the story, you talk about going fishing or going to Wal-Mart, the goal is to take them on a journey, encouraging them to also move around as they are waiting for me to tell them a story.”

For example, you ask the residents, “Do you want to go on a trip, a safari? Imagine going into the deepest darkest area, on a journey or safari. For someone starring at wall, they will imagine going into a jungle. You can take them on a walk, and find leaves, rocks.”

For residents that care for their doll “babies,” staff might provide them with a stroller to encourage a resident to get out of their apartment. For example, a stroller gave one resident, Coach, the peace of mind that she can go on an excursion and that their “babies” will be secure in the stroller.

One sister of a resident, Sylvia, was initially dismayed that her brother Oscar, a paramedic, was holding a doll. Villa tries to reset this mindset. Staff explained to Sylvia that, as a paramedic, Oscar, is keeping the baby safe until her mother returns. Suddenly, Oscar is the hero he’s always been, and sister Sylvia starts to see her brother holding a baby as a positive, rather than as a painful, experience. Oscar had moved from another assisted living community where he stayed in his apartment, often for meals as well. Now Sylvia sees her brother as engaged, and always up and around. These are the stories Villa staff live for!

Four — Social

Villa takes every opportunity to celebrate holidays and other occasions. Mother’s Day Tea, Kentucky Derby Day, Cinco de Mayo, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween are but a few celebratory occasions. Villa has Friday “Happy Hours” and play games that encourage social interaction.

Residents have three opportunities daily to interact with fellow memory care residents during meals. It can help residents who have gotten used to being fed at meals to pick up a fork to eat to feed themselves, just as fellow residents are doing.

Many Stepping Stones residents do activities with Assisted Living in their area of the building. This might include the Drum Club, Zumba, Church services among other activities. Likewise, assisted living residents enjoy the brain games and other stimulating activities in Stepping Stones. The two-way exchange works well as assisted living residents get comfortable in Stepping Stones, which makes it easier if and when a resident eventually transitions to memory care.

Staff Engagement. The new programming has increased staff engagement with residents and helps to humanize residents. Staff start to see residents beyond someone they have to take care of — by providing dressing, bathing and meal support. There’s a level of engagement forged between staff and residents, laughing and interacting as two peers. Suddenly they are not a caregiver/resident, but friends. Care attendant Minga, for example, finds herself laughing with Dennis, playing a brain game, laughing and enjoying herself. Caregiver Priscilla and resident Mike enjoy trying on masks. To staff, residents cease to be just a resident and instead have fun as friends.

Villa’s Wellness Director Stephanie Lozano also believes that interaction between residents and residents and staff is important. And that the interaction is caring and fun. Activity Director Robin says,

“Residents remind me of my grandmother and uncle. It takes me out of my caregiver role and become more social, just fun friends. I even found our Executive Director Mary going through a basket. Everyone likes to rummage!”

“Villa’s Activity Room” is a key element of our Stepping Stones memory care program. We encourage families to stop by and visit and check out the programming. Villa has had a secure memory care unit for over two decades and has nurtured many long-tenured caring staff to provide the best possible environment for our residents and their families. Villa is happy to introduce you to family members who can share their experiences. For more information, call Activity Director Robin Cohea at 361-991-3252 or Admissions Director Kat Akin at 361-446-1829 or email them at South@VillaAssistedLiving.com.

To learn more about Villa’s approach to memory care and easing the transition for residents with minor memory issues, who don’t yet need a secure care community, click The Villa Approach to Memory Care.