By:Carrie James
Another senior assisted-living center setting up shop in town
Throughout East Meadow, senior residential communities abound. There's The Knolls, Mitchel Homes and The Bristal just to name a few. Now a new complex is under development, just a block away from The Bristal on Merrick Avenue.
The new center will offer something different from many of the other facilities, though, said Deidre Brown, executive director of Sunrise Assisted Living of East Meadow, which is scheduled to open in early 2002.
"We're the premiere provider of assisted living in the country," Brown said. "We also have our reminiscence program. It's for those that have Alzheimer's disease or some other memory impairment."
Sunrise Assisted Living Inc. first made its mark when founder and CEO Paul Klaassen opened the first assisted-living facility in Virginia in 1981. At that time, he established a philosophy of providing a home-like environment for the residents, Brown said.
According to the company's Web site, www.sunriseassistedliving.com, the philosophy is "to provide care and services to seniors in a homelike, residential environment in a manner that nurtures the spirit, protects privacy, fosters individuality, personalizes services, enables freedom of choice, encourages individuality, preserves dignity and involves family and friends."
Currently, there are more than 170 Sunrise Assisted Living complexes throughout the United States, Canada and England, with nine in New York and the location in East Meadow is one of several under development now.
"I think it's the care that sets us apart," Brown said. "The mission we've put forward and lived by was created by our founder Paul Klaassen."
Construction on the East Meadow facility started two to three months ago and, once completed, will provide assisted-living care to both a regular population of seniors and those with memory impairments, Brown said.
The facility will feature private and shared suites, common rooms, a dining area and provide a variety of services to accommodate the residents.
Each day, the Web site stated, facilities provide at least five planned social activities, occasional educational programs and recreational activities also. The staff helps residents by providing housekeeping and linen service, assistance with eating and dressing, medicine management, transportation and many other services, Brown said.
"What sets us apart is the care we provide," Brown said. "There can be independent people that maybe don't want to cook anymore. We provide three meals a day. Everyone receives assistance of some sort whether it be housekeeping or clinical."
