Unveiling the New Memory Care Neighborhoods at Souderton Mennonite Homes

Cameras flashed and applause filled the room as scissors sliced the white ribbon held by elected officials, Living Branches leadership, and a Health Care resident at Souderton Mennonite Homes.

Hundreds had gathered on an early November afternoon for the ribbon cutting at the official open house of Souderton Mennonite Homes’ new Serenata Memory Care neighborhoods. (Learn more about Serenata, the new name for Memory Care at Living Branches.)

In the quiet pause while photos were taken, one resident surveyed the sizable crowd and remarked to a neighbor, “Even with all these people, it’s not cramped in here. It feels just right.”

From Hospital to Home

“Just right” meant different things to the hundreds of residents, team members, and community guests who toured the Serenata Personal Care and Health Care neighborhoods, nearly ready to welcome residents after a year and a half of construction.

For some, the size is “just right.” The Health Care neighborhood will house 18 residents and Personal Care will accommodate 26 residents living with dementia. All will enjoy  private rooms and en-suite European style bathrooms.

The neighborhoods also feature spacious activity areas, lounges, kitchens, and workspaces. (“You could play floor hockey in here!” a team member joked to a colleague.)

For others, “just right” described the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the large windows, casting the spaces in a warm glow. Guests noted the tasteful colors, artwork, furniture, lighting, and other elements that make the neighborhoods feel welcoming and homelike.

“I almost cried,” says Natalie Reich, life enrichment coordinator for the Serenata Health Care community. “When I walked from the existing Health Care space into the new one, it was like going from a hospital to home.”

Jill Arroyo, Souderton Mennonite Homes’ director of Health Care services, feels the new neighborhoods are a cut above — and a much-needed addition to campus life.

“I’ve worked in three other places with specialized Memory Care areas within long-term care, and this is by far the most impressive,” she says. “Health Care residents deserve this beautiful space.”

Jen Derstine, director of Personal Care services at the Souderton campus, echoes the excitement felt by Souderton Mennonite Homes family and team members.

“At the open house I spoke with family members of current Personal Care residents who are considering Memory Care. They can definitely see their parents thriving in the new space,” Derstine says. “The new neighborhood has better natural lighting, two courtyards, and an updated look compared to the existing Personal Care neighborhood for residents with dementia.”

Souderton Mennonite Homes team members will also benefit from the thoughtful design of the new spaces. “My team is excited,” Derstine says. “We’ll have a break room, a salon where residents can have their hair done without going all the way downstairs, and more private areas for residents to visit with family or enjoy small group activities. For months I’ve been looking at blueprints and diagrams, so to see it come together is amazing.”

The Work Continues

Souderton Mennonite Homes expects to welcome Personal Care and Health Care residents with dementia into their new neighborhoods before the new year. Most rooms in the Serenata Health Care and Personal Care neighborhoods will go to current residents.

“In the process of determining which Health Care residents will move to the new neighborhood, we received positive feedback from families,” Arroyo says. “It can be difficult to provide individualized attention when you have a mixture of residents with different cognitive abilities and goals. Having similar people living together leads to better outcomes.”

For Living Branches leadership, November’s ribbon cutting marked both an end and a beginning.

“A year and a half ago we broke ground on these two new neighborhoods,” says Edward D. Brubaker, president/CEO of Living Branches. “We are so appreciative of the community’s support and encouragement as we conclude this stage of work and move to the next.”

As residents settle into the new Memory Care neighborhoods, Souderton Mennonite Homes will continue renovation work on its existing Health Care center, which began in the fall. Renovations are expected to take about 18 months.

“Across all three of our campuses, this is the final Health Care neighborhood in need of renovations,” Brubaker says. “The goal is to bring its appearance, accessibility, and comfort in line with our other Health Care neighborhoods. Once completed, we will have gone from one private room in Health Care at Souderton Mennonite Homes to 49.”

Celebrating a Team Effort

With a bright future in store for the Serenata Personal Care and Health Care neighborhoods, the open house was the perfect time to acknowledge the hard work and community support that made them possible.

Construction work was funded in part by Rooted in Love, Growing Together: The Campaign for Living Branches, which received over $4.3 million in community contributions.

An additional $2 million was secured through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, with support from Senator Maria Collett and Representative Steve Malagari. Both attended the open house to celebrate with Living Branches.

Brubaker and Living Branches board president John Duerksen also thanked Living Branches team members and external partners — including Benchmark Construction, RLPS Architects, Eventus Strategic Partners, Reese Hackman Engineering, and Irick Eberhardt & Mientus — for their success in planning, designing, and constructing the new neighborhoods.

“Opening our enhanced Memory Care communities, including a new Health Care space for this campus, is a momentous occasion for Living Branches,” Brubaker says. “The impact will be felt by residents, families, team members, and the surrounding community for years to come.”

During the open house, one Residential Living resident commented on the thoughtful design of the new neighborhoods. Dementia support isn’t something she thinks about daily, but knowing that such a space is available makes her future at Souderton Mennonite Homes feel brighter.

“It’s comforting,” she said, looking around at the bustling room of community members enjoying the new space, “just knowing there’s a place this nice if I ever need it.”