Avita of Needham

Avita of Needham was 100% memory care. I chose it because I wanted a facility that was not too large and all memory care. My mother had dementia and she was all settled in.

I had some prior experience (10 years ago) with other assisted living providers, so I had a benchmark to base my impressions of Avita off of. The facility was recently built (less than 1-2 years ago I believe)and also offered a memory care wing to the facility to offer additional aid to residents who had some form of dementia. Unfortunately I drove right past the facility the first time I visited because the sign was so small; however it appeared this might have been a temporary sign based on the quality. The facility as viewed from the road is quite attractive and the way in which it is sited makes it appear much smaller than it truly is....I consider this a nice feature, as it isn't as daunting for new prospects. Parking for visitors is convenient located a short walk away from the main entrance. There are two sets of automatic doors that open into a lobby with a receptionist to greet people. Visitors are asked to sign in and provide basic details of why they are visiting. The lobby and adjacent sitting area is very nice and similar to what you'd find in a 4 or 5 star hotel. Beyond this lobby area are several corridors that require a keycode or attendant to let you in; I believe this is due to the concern with memory care residents. The hallways are large well lit, yet don't feel like a hospital. The rooms that I viewed were basic, but had nice windows to the surrounding property (gardens, walkways, etc). I had lunch in the dining room with a guest in a small room that can be utilized with residents have guests joining them for a meal. The food was good and the produce on the plate was fresh. At the end of the meal they wheeled in coffee service and some cookies for us to enjoy. The facility has several fenced in gardens, walkways, patios, etc for the residence to get out and enjoy without the staff concerned about the memory care patients wandering off. My client, the resident, describes the place as a luxurious hotel.

This is a new facility"”so far, very good at marketing and finding a niche as the memory care specialists in the area. Even though it is located conveniently just off the main road, it's set back in a woodsy spot that feels private. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with a secured garden area and the facility inside is beautiful and tastefully decorated. As mentioned Avita specializes in memory care"”and to that end, offers a lot of structure and routines to lessen residents' anxiety and to stimulate their cognitive levels as much as possible. Residents are assigned to their living areas based on the level of care they require. There are lots of common areas, all beautifully designed and appointed. And there is a huge kitchen and buffet available for residents, which offers lots of options for food choices. A very positive sign, even in the early days of Avita's operation: The staff is good about saying whether or not they can manage a resident and meet his or her needs, which sets realistic expectations for all involved.

This is a new, all memory impairment facility, in a part of Needham that's a little more isolated. It's on a busy road, not walkable to anything nearby--and there's no public transportation. You have to drive 1-2 miles to get to shops and restaurants. But that's probably okay for the residents, since they're all in memory care. It's only been open about a month, and I've already been there three times. The facility itself is set back from the road about 100 feet, with green space around it. It's made up of four units, and each has its own garden where residents can walk around safely. There holds about 62 residents in all. Most of the apartments are private studios, but there are a few small 1-bedrooms. All the common spaces are attractive and open, and the overall physical layout is very nice. So far I've been impressed with the staff and management--and I've heard from others that the care is very good. They have an experienced team. The director has been doing this work for 15-20 years, and she's excellent. I've eaten there, and the food is outstanding. They have a program to use local produce, fresh foods. It appeals to an upscale population. The activities have been good, too, with lots of variety even though they only have residents in two units so far. The only downside I see is that because it offers only memory care, some people could be put off by that--especially those in the early stage of memory impairment.