O'Connor Woods Memory Care Building
With a household-style design that better serves its residents and coordinates with the existing campus, this care facility helps remove the stigma of memory loss.
Client
Mount Carmel Health Ministries
Location
Stockton, California
Markets/Services
Architecture, Health, Interiors, Medical Planning, Programming, Senior Living
Size
360,000 SF
Constrained by a lack of buildable space on its Stockton campus, O’Connor Woods Memory Care needed to add dedicated housing for its memory care residents who were currently living off-site or in skilled nursing units as the only viable alternative.
SmithGroup partnered with O’Connor Woods to design two new buildings that take advantage of a tight site with inviting household-style accommodations suited to the resident’s unique needs. The ground floor includes 20 memory care units arranged in two neighborhood wings, along with an adult day care for community members with cognitive impairments. Based on a “small house” model, the units open up onto their own neighborhood dining and living rooms, which are connected to a secure garden.
The second floor consists of eight two-bedroom assisted living units and common spaces. In this new model, residents can move about freely in a safe environment, maintain their own schedule and enjoy their privacy: studies show that having this personal control is beneficial to the quality of life and health of memory care residents.
Through SmithGroup's work, O’Connor Woods Memory Care can now better address, support and maintain an environment that matches the needs of its residents.