The memory care journey

Providing a haven of faith-based care to families as their loved ones transition through the stages of life, The Village of St. Edward has made it a mission to support and encourage those with memory loss and dementia. Dedicated memory care communities in all three campuses—Fairlawn, Wadsworth and Green—are designed to offer a sense of belonging. 

“Our level of care is highly individualized to each person,” says Madison Hayes, marketing and admissions director at Green. “We find out the activities they enjoyed throughout their lives and incorporate them into the programming. The goal is to get them out of their apartments and pursuing a meaningful life.”

Memory care residents enjoy the same musical entertainment, courtyard visits and trips for ice cream that all the residents do.

“I think people would be surprised to know how busy we are,” says Madison. “Keeping people engaged and not left to their own devices, which can be frustrating for those with dementia, is our daily routine. We treat everyone with dignity, respect and purpose.”

A Proactive Approach

Madison says they understand how all-consuming day-to-day care can be for people.

“We see it often. People caring for family members at home don’t have the time or resources to proactively look for memory care,” she says. “Then if an illness or sudden situation happens and mom or dad must find a place immediately, what they find might not be the best fit. That has the potential to result in multiple moves, which is stressful for everyone.”

She says once a resident joins them, the families appreciate how they thrive with increased social interaction and daily activities.

“They also find relief that they are able to simply be a daughter or a son again to their parent and not a medication manager or caregiver,” she says.

Meet Marcy and Gary

To get a first-person perspective about memory care at VSE, we caught up with Gary and Dr. Cindy Hansel, husband and daughter of memory care resident Marcy Hansel, who came here in 2023.

Gary moved into assisted living six months after Marcy moved in. He visits with her daily and enjoys going to mass with her and attending musical entertainment and activities together. 

Gary loves sharing his story with people who come in for tours and showing them his homey apartment. He’s also in his element calling the weekly bingo games.

“Both my mother and mother-in-law were residents at The Village of St. Edward, so when the time came for Marcy, we already knew this was the best place for her,” he says. “VSE has the nicest staff and most wonderful people to enjoy meals with. The food is delicious. I’m much happier here than those months I was living on my own after Marcy moved here.”

Cindy says she was relieved that since her mother went through the generational stigma with her own mother about going into senior care, she said she’d never do the same to Cindy.

“She is so well cared for,” she says. “When my mom had medical issues and was hospitalized, they tolerated me calling every 12 hours to check on her. Everyone is warm and welcoming. We even held my bridal shower in the community room. Especially since I live four hours away, it’s a comfort to know my parents are safe and content.”

The Village of St. Edward is a non-profit with three locations: Wadsworth, 880 Main Street, 234-217-8735; Green, 3813 Fortuna Drive, 234-294-0010; and Fairlawn, 3125 Smith Road, 330-668-2828. In memory care, each location offers 28 beautifully appointed studio and one-bedroom apartments. Through the Benevolence Program, residents will never be asked to leave if they run out of funds. For more information, or to take a virtual visit, go to VSECommunities.org.