The Renaissance of Richfield/Bath

By Adam Cook

The decision to move a loved one to an assisted living facility often weighs heavily on families. Jeff and Jill Risner, of Renaissance of Richfield/Bath, are committed to easing the transition—making loved ones and their families feel at home.

The doors of Renaissance of Richfield/Bath on Everett Road open into a community that calls Main Street home. On Main Street, members and their families can find Lyndon B., a black labradoodle, strolling past the coffee shop, beauty salon, gift shop, library, sanctuary and movie theater on his way to sniff out what’s cooking in the culinary arts studio.

Home-cooked comforts are in abundance, and the food is often the reason members move here.

“Meals are an event to look forward to, because the food tastes good and there’s a sense of family,” Jill says. “Day or night, our chefs can be found “crackin’ eggs and peelin’ potatoes.”

The Renaissance is profoundly person-centered, and the kitchen is always open.

The food, Jill says, truly nourishes the heart. A registered dietician works with resident members one-on-one to assess their personal dietary needs, and all meals are planned to support the unique nutritional needs of seniors.

“Food is medicine,” Jill says. “We use Himalayan salt, wheat flour and cane sugar in all of our made-from-scratch dishes. We cook with a combi-oven that uses steam and convection to fry without oil or we cook healthy with coconut oil. We still eat cake and cookies; we just make them without the processed products.” 

The Renaissance is intimate by design to give caregivers the opportunity to provide compassionate and comprehensive, person-centered care. Members are empowered individuals—not defined by the presence of memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease—and community co-partners. 

Caregivers at the Renaissance believe in the philosophy of person-centered care and view themselves as facilitators of the personal choices members make to enrich their lives.

Encouraged by caregivers and a dynamic environment, members have the freedom to “wander safely” about. The design incorporates natural lighting for a healthy dose of sunlight and a gradual transition into evening. The presence of auto-dimming lights further reduces the stress of “sundowning,” something commonly associated with those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Off Main Street, each neighborhood is unique, and there are multiple courtyards. The freedom of mobility members enjoy at the Renaissance is unique among assisted living facilities, and is credited to the use of Fitbit-like smart bands.

“Our technology allows us to keep our members safe, but independent,” says Jeff. “If a member is wandering more than is typical, we can track that, and, if appropriate, program the device to lock the exits automatically as the member approaches.”

By accounting for each member’s distinct cognitive ability, the technology simultaneously provides a safe environment and promotes independence. The technology also allows caregivers to actively listen and respond to members’ changing needs.

The 50,000-square-foot facility was built to accommodate members’ needs through the stages of change in their lives. While many assisted living centers are now in the process of retrofitting memory care facilities, the Renaissance was built with an adjoining, dedicated memory care facility. 

Memory Care
Since 2012, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s has doubled. Every 66 seconds a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The dedicated memory care facility accommodates members with progressive cognitive disorders and is staffed around the clock with licensed nurses and memory care experts. Like the assisted-living portion of the community, the memory care facility is person-centered and provides specialized services that include meal preparation, personal grooming, laundry, housekeeping and medication administration, so there is a healthy balance between members’ needs and their independence. 

“The presence of both the assisted living facility and memory care portion of the community can ease the transition from one stage of life to another,” Jill says. 

The Renaissance is the result of a local partnership between Darrel Seibert II of Seibert Enterprises Inc., John Troike of Troike Building Corp. and Mark Hemminger of Hemminger Construction Co.  

“‘Community caring for community’ is very important for us. It’s our guiding principle within the facility and externally as well,” Jeff says. “All of our relationships are local, from food to technology. We believe in giving back to the community where we live, work and thrive.”

Renaissance of Richfield is a community within a community. Caregivers actively engage members. Each month there is a new activities calendar and families often check in on the Renaissance’s vibrant Facebook page and encourage their loved ones connecting through bridge clubs, bingo, movie nights, yoga, exercise classes and happy hours with “likes.” And, of course, there’s always a photo or two of Lyndon B. 

Renaissance of Richfield/Bath is located 3975 Everett Road in Richfield. Call 330-313-7000 or reach out at RenaissanceAssistedLiving.net to find out how you or your loved one can be invited to join this community.