The Bridge at Chandler House is in the final stages of implementing an adult day program that will allow our daily guests to participate in the same innovative day program as our monthly residents. Titled ACT, for Adult Cognitive Therapy, our day program represents a proactive approach to treating memory disorders and cognitive decline.  Adult Day Services are the next step in our vision to expand our offerings from our current assisted living community to a wide range of comprehensive, professional and caring senior services.   We are pleased to service the senior population in  Jefferson City, Knoxville and other East Tennessee communities.

We anticipate being able to offer day services on or about March 1, 2011.  For more information, click on the Day Services link on our website at http://www.chandlerseniorservices.com or call us today at 471-1400.

Now Open with a Limited Number of Private Apartments Available!

During our years of service at Chandler House we have cared for many people with Alzheimer’s and dementia related issues, and worked closely with their family members to monitor the progression of the disease’s symptoms. Statistics show that in the coming years the number of people with Alzheimer’s will increase dramatically. Thus, we felt called to provide a state-of-the-art community that would specialize in caring for this population and their families in an individualized and dignified way.

First, we did our research. We visited specialized facilities across the region. We even visited facilities in surrounding states. We couldn’t find exactly the philosophy and approach to care that we envisioned, so we decided to design our own program and build a community to serve this special patient population in our area.

The Bridge at Chandler House is now open and has available a limited number of studio apartments.  This specially designed community is planned for optimum safety and independence for our residents, and features 20 private resident rooms, each featuring its own private bathrooms. Everything from the colors of the community to the lighting and textures were chosen with the needs of Alzheimer’s and dementia residents in mind.

Our specialized daily cognitive therapy program is designed to meet the social, physical, spiritual and cognitive needs of our residents. Special features include built-in memory boxes outside each resident’s door to make room identification easier; an intimate warm home-like environment that does not have an institutional feeling; a security system that prevents wandering from the community; cameras that cover all common areas for maximum resident safety, and a staff that is thoroughly trained in the care and treatment of residents who have Alzheimer’s or dementia. Our administrative staff has the highest certification available through the Dementia Care Professionals of America, and we have a full-time geriatric specialized nurse practitioner available.

We are pleased to be the first resource of this kind in our community with the resources available for those seeking guidance, information, care and treatment for Alzheimer’s and dementia-related issues, and we encourage you to call or visit today to learn more about our innovative community…The Bridge at Chandler House.

The Bridge at Chandler House is now open! Our unique community dedicated to the care of those living with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia has available a limited number of private studio apartments, each featuring its own private bathroom. In addition to our furnishings and amenities, The Bridge features an innovative day program designed to engage our residents and slow the rate of cognitive decline.

The Bridge is our next step in providing comprehensive senior health care services in Jefferson City, Knoxville and throughout East Tennessee.  The Bridge will offer the same professional and caring services that we have become known for in our assisted living community.  Call or visit Chandler House today at 471-1400 to learn more or arrange a free, no obligation tour.

Since 2000 the staff at Chandler House has cared for many residents with Alzheimer’s and other related dementia’s. We have worked hand-in-hand with family members and other caregivers to monitor the progression of the disease and the treatment of its symptoms. This experience led us to research the concept of a community dedicated to this unique resident population and their families. Our own resident based philosophy and approach to individualized and dignified care lead us to design and develop a community that will serve these very special people.

Our dream and vision for this very specialized care is about to come true. The Bridge at Chandler House is will soon be acceting new residents. The Bridge is a one-of-a-kind community designed for the optimum safety and independence of our residents. The community is comprised of 20 private resident rooms, each featuring its own private bath built with ease of use and resident safety as well as optimal independence in mind. Everything we have chosen – from the colors of the interior walls to the lighting, furniture and fixtures were chosen with the needs and comfort of Alzheimer’s and dementia residents in mind.

Special features include built-in memory boxes outside each resident’s door to make room identification easier; an intimate, warm environment that is more home-like than institutional; cameras in indoor and outdoor common areas and a security system that allows for wandering while promoting resident safety; and lastly, open, wide hallways that help our residents move freely and safely through the community.

What really makes the Bridge at Chandler House unique is the daily programming we have developed to slow the rate of cognitive decline. We understand there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and we also understand that medications are sometimes only moderately effective in treating cognitive decline. However, we are committed to doing our best each day to help our residents maintain optimum quality of life. We are committed to working with families and caregivers to give them the information they need to understand this disease and be actively involved with their loved one’s care. The Bridge at Chandler House offers the Adult Cognitive Therapies program (ACT) which addresses the social, physical, spiritual and cognitive needs of our residents.

We are the only community in the area that boasts two certified Dementia Care Specialists, designations awarded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and the University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies. These Dementia Care Specialists have designed a daily activity schedule that is built around those important elements, with therapies being carried out by specially trained staff members, many of whom have already completed the training necessary to be recognized as Dementia Care Providers by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. We also have a full-time geriatric specialized nurse practitioner available to help families and area physicians develop a plan of care and manage the medical needs of each resident.

A big endeavor?  Certainly. A huge responsibility?  Absolutely.  We have prepared and trained and anxiously awaited this next step in serving the community. Finally the second part of our dream will come true at the end of October 2010 when we open the doors to our first residents. To learn more about the Bridge at Chandler House or the ACT program please contact us at 865-471-1400. We will be thrilled to offer information and share our dream with you.

One of the most common questions we hear around Chandler House from new residents, family members and guests is, “How did Chandler House come to be?” Thus, with the first entry of my blog on our new website, I felt it appropriate to trace the evolution of our community and tell all of our valued friends and guests exactly how we evolved!

Chandler House is the culmination of a vision that began close to 15 years ago. Our owners, Sam and Nancy Nicholson, had cared for all four of their ill and aging parents in their home while working full-time and trying to maintain some normalcy in their own lives. They soon discovered the difficulties that are encountered when family provides care at home: unreliable and often untrustworthy caregivers, substandard care, the tremendous financial burden of round the clock care, and social isolation for their parents. There were no assisted living communities then, so the choice was pretty simple: provide care in the home or send their loved one(s) to the nursing home. Their parents were really not appropriate for nursing home placement, and the Nicholson’s often commented that there must be other families in the area facing the same challenges they were…the need for a level of care somewhere between home-based care and the nursing home. Thus, the seed that became Chandler House was planted.

The Nicholson’s plan was to provide an affordable housing alternative for seniors; a community that was warm and comfortable; a place where both residents and families could have the true peace of mind that comes from knowing that they are safe, well cared for and have help available 24 hours a day. Unused family farmland with a mountaintop view was the perfect place to locate such a home. On September 30th 2000, Sam and Nancy’s vision became a reality when we admitted our first resident to Chandler house.

From the moment you pull up to the front door, you’ll notice that Chandler House was built to look and feel like a home. As you come through the front doors and walk the hallways, you’ll see that our number one priority is creating a safe and secure environment where our residents and families truly feel at home.

Our first 10 years has been a wonderful time of growth and sharing for residents, staff and the community. We are starting our second decade with the premier of The Bridge at Chandler House. We are excited about the future of Chandler House and expanding our services to the community to include support and care for those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related issues.

So that’s “part one”! Be sure to drop back by soon for more on insight on the evolution and growth of Chandler House!