Villa Maria Dementia Care
   and Assisted Living
Our Facility
The Villa Maria was designed with a floor plan that is open, logical, and
uncomplicated.  The easier it is to understand a place, the quicker someone
with limited ability can master it.

The mastery of a home leads to a greater sense of control, confidence, and
maximizes the resident's ability to function.

The luminosity (amount of light) is great enough to compensate for the
yellowing of the cornea that we associate with aging.  Lighting should also
be indirect to minimize glare and eliminate harsh shadows.  Shadows can
be misleading to the cognitively impaired.

Optimal exposure to natural light.  It is believed that this supports the
resident's orientation to day and night.  Further, in Northeast Ohio such
exposure may be beneficial in combating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

All woodwork in the home helps to establish
a  homelike, non-institutional environment.

Colors are calm and uncomplicated.  
Busy wallpaper and complex designs
have been shown to exacerbate hallucinations
in certain residents and are strongly
contraindicated for the memory impaired.

                                The flooring was chosen for optimal traction.                   
                                  Again, no complicated patterns.  

                                The community areas are located in the                           
                                 center, and the rooms are along the outside                     
                                 parameter.  This make it easier for the                             
                                 resident to find their room.

Room Design

All rooms are private - designed for single occupancy.  Research strongly
supports this.  The privacy and control this offers the resident is very
beneficial, and enhances their sense of control and propriety.

All rooms have a window.  The windows may be opened, but not enough for
the resident to elope.

All rooms are pre-wired for telephone and cable TV.  

Interior Design

Exit doors do not visually suggest an exit to the
resident.  This helps to eliminate resident
frustration, as they are not visually presented
with doors they cannot go through.

The art work through out The Villa Maria was
created by local artists and was designed with the memory impaired in
mind, in order to provoke pleasant memories.

Every effort has been made to eliminate unnecessary noise.  If a television
is on, but no one is watching, it is turned off.  This is important in
maintaining an optimal environment for communication, and reducing aural
"clutter".

All potential dangerous areas, i.e. the mechanics room, the kitchen, and the
laundry room, are kept locked. And we have smoke detectors and are fully
sprinkled, with an automatic fire alarm system.

Out pet fish, bird, and dog all help to create an informal, homelike
atmosphere.  Such gentle pets have been shown to lower blood pressure
and provide unconditional and accepting companionship.