Sycamore Village Assisted Living community originally opened in 2002. It was located in the lower level of a skilled nursing facility and home to 18 residents.  At that time, few assisted living communities were in operation in the Swansea area. Sycamore Village was a unique senior housing alternative. Ownership listened to its potential residents and families in determining how to reorganize the campus. Renovations were completed and a quaint and homey environment in which to live and visit was created. A separate entrance, separate parking and even a separate concierge  apart from the skilled nursing facility were provided.  The philosophy of personalized care had begun.

In 2005, Sycamore Village expanded into the entire building, replacing the skilled nursing facility as a 104-bed licensed Assisted Living community. The main entrance was converted into Main Street USA, complete with a Post Office, Library, General Store and Ice Cream Parlor.  The entire interior of the building was completely renovated. Residents now have the choice of several different apartment styles located in five different “neighborhoods”. Residents have the privacy and security of their own personally decorated apartments, complete with refrigerator, microwave and sink. Each apartment also has an emergency call system to alert staff when assistance may be needed. Certified nursing assistants are available around the clock. Most importantly, extra help with activities of daily living are readily available at no extra cost.

While senior housing alternatives have increased over the past several years, the options for Alzheimer’s and dementia-related care have not kept pace. In fact, based on professional experience, market studies, and consultative work with the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, it became clear that this population was greatly under-served. To address this need, in early 2005, Sycamore Village formed a relationship with the Alzheimer’s Association and made a commitment to provide the highest quality care in the least institutional setting possible. This commitment included the Alzheimer’s Association conducting a complete assessment of the environment and providing a written report with their recommendations. After complying with their recommendations, Sycamore Village then contracted with the Alzheimer’s Association for two consecutive 6-month periods, at which time aggressive staff training began for those working directly with this population. Another training program was implemented for all general staff. The Association spent several hours a week reinforcing the training and making observations of the staff-to-resident interaction. The Association was also available to families with questions or concerns. As a result of this family interaction, Sycamore Village staff began their own monthly family forum. Over time, our focus on serving the needs of seniors with memory loss has intensified, and today, we are the most experienced memory enrichment assisted living community in the area.

Educating families whose loved ones suffer from memory loss is only one way in which Sycamore Village promotes health and well-being to the public. Based on experience with consumer inquiries, the commitment was also made to develop a Resource Center to provide information and support for the community at large. An extensive library of educational literature, audiotapes, video, and other material is available on a wide range of health and wellness subjects. A Help Line was established for after-hours assistance, as well as a monthly caregiver support group, facilitated by a licensed social worker. Monthly Lunch and Learn seminars provide education on many topics presented by local professionals.  Sycamore Village is committed to senior advocacy and created the Senior Health and Lifestyle Initiative to advance this important cause. This campaign makes literature available to other community organizations and businesses in the area to display and distribute to the members and families they serve. Educational pamphlets and caregiver newsletters have been displayed throughout the community over the last 18 months. Local police and fire departments have found these to be a great resource, as have area banks, churches and libraries. 

Today’s Sycamore Village is truly a unique option for senior care. Among the recognition received for outstanding programs and services is the designation  as a Center of Excellence in Dementia Care from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, inclusion in the Pioneer Coalition’s  book on culture change entitled, “Tales from the Prairie” and teaching universities who have conducted research studies on-site.  Even with all this recognition, the highest compliment is to hear families describe the staff as approachable and down-to-earth. Resident satisfaction is high and word-of -mouth is the biggest source of referrals from the community. It is the goal of all staff members to maintain a high level of service in a cost-effective manner, while always continuing to strive for excellence.