As baby boomers continue to retire and the needs of the elderly become a greater societal focus, builders and developers are looking for new ways to cater to this growing cohort.
In Stone Mountain, Ga., Atlanta-based developer Isakson Living has introduced plans to offer the first “household model of care” in Georgia. Now under construction, the Isakson Living Household Model will be introduced in the Pebblebrook healthcare center. Pebblebrook is located adjacent to Park Springs, a 54-acre campus style Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) owned and operated by Isakson Living that serves active adults 62 and above.
Scheduled to open in 2017, Pebblebrook will offer a total of six distinct households, each designed to look and feel like a home. In a “Household Model,” a small number of elders live together under one roof in an intentional community. They live with, and are cared for by, staff members.
When finished, Pebblebrook will include six distinct households, each with its own living room, kitchen, and dining area, serving a maximum of 18 members. Each will include ample natural light and ready access to courtyards where members and their families can come and go as they please.
According to an Isakson press release, the core of the Isakson Living Household Model is that the members in each household are “at the center of the organizational chart.” Those members will “direct their own care and are encouraged to continue to grow and achieve their life goals regardless of their healthcare needs.”
Pebblebrook will offer a new Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) and Alzheimer’s Care (ALZ) community to replace those functions in Park Springs’ existing health center, Cobblestone. Cobblestone, in turn, will be converted to 100% assisted living suites for a total of 52 suites.
In addition to the six households, Pebblebrook’s state-of-the-art facility will include amenities to promote socialization and healthy connections, such as a 3,000 sq. ft. physical therapy gym, community hall, lobby café, and outdoor living spaces.
“We are honored to be the first to adopt the household model in Georgia,” says Andy Isakson, managing partner of Isakson Living. “At Pebblebrook, members are supported to live their best lives by a small, self-organized team of caring professionals who serve as partners to the elders in their household. We provide an atmosphere of empowerment and trust, where providing the best quality of life is paramount.”
