NORTH SMITHFIELD — The Saint Antoine Community has been awarded a federal earmark to develop a new, state-of the-art Assisted Living Memory Care Unit.
A federal grant of $250,000 was delivered on Monday for the renovation of the unit, which features 24 home-like suites for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and has helped develop a new model of care for seniors with cognitive needs.
The memory care unit brings together elements of more skilled health care, rehab, and behavioral support services to residents on the same campus, rather than transferring the resident to a different environment.
U. S. Senator Jack Reed, who attened the press conference to announce the award, said he hopes that Saint Antoine’s new model of care can be applied elsewhere to help aging Americans across the country safely and comfortably ‘age in place’ and create a better model to advance treatment and improve care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
“Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that impacts millions of Americans and their families. This federal earmark for the Saint Antoine Community is helping to create a new environment of compassion and support for Rhode Islanders with developing cognitive needs and will pioneer a new model of care that hopefully can assist other seniors across the country,” said Senator Reed, who recently helped pass major legislation to combat Alzheimer’s disease and invest in finding new treatments and a cure. “I’m grateful for the team and service providers at Saint Antoine who are working every day to support Rhode Islanders with Alzheimer’s and helping them age with dignity and comfort.”
Tammy Summiel, executive director of Primrose Lane Memory Care Assisted Living and The Villa at Saint Antoine, said the Saint Antoine Community is a leader when it comes to its continuum of care.
“Our population is living longer and memory care can place such an added burden on families who cannot manage all their needs at home,” she said, noting how critical the award is to maintaining that continuum.
She noted that with the addition of Primrose Lane, Saint Antoine Community can further emphasize the importance of family above all else, and allow residents and their families to enjoy each other’s company without extra stress.
“We have further strengthened our continuum, while addressing a growing need for affordable memory care in Northern Rhode Island.”
