About Abe's Garden

• How Abe's Garden is Unique
• Founder's Story
• Who is Abe?

 

How Abe's Garden is Unique

Abe’s Garden seeks to transform the full continuum of care for those affected by Alzheimer's and dementia throughout the United States, by providing an unprecedented level of care and comprehensive array of services for individuals currently suffering from these diseases in Middle Tennessee. Equally important, it will be a site of research and training, in full collaboration with Vanderbilt Medical Center, setting a new standard for future programs and facilities seeking to care for our nation’s rapidly expanding senior population.

Affiliation with Major Academic Medical Institution

Abe’s Garden will be the first facility in the United States dedicated to providing and elevating the quality of the full continuum of care for Alzheimer’s patients by partnering with a major medical university to conduct clinical research and establish an endowed chair in cognitive health in aging.

Facility and programming designed specifically for Alzheimer’s patients by specialists in the fields of geriatrics, pharmacology, physical therapy, and nursing. Drs. Sandra Simmons (recipient of Alzheimer’s Association research funding and participant in grant review process) and John “Jack” Schnelle (formerly of UCLA, and founder of the Vanderbilt Center for Quality Aging) have published a wealth of behavioral scientific research on the care of patients with Alzheimer’s, yet this is the first time in their 30+ year careers in the field they have been consulted on the design of a facility specifically for this population.

Abe’s Garden is not an Alzheimer’s unit of a senior residential facility, this is a dedicated Alzheimer’s and dementia facility that will introduce a financial viability model and the services necessary to allow patients to remain in the same familiar environment throughout all stages of cognitive health.

Detail: Independent residential options will consist of legacy (on an affordable month-to-month rental model) and newly constructed independent living units (on a traditional CCRC model) with a large selection of activities and services designed to maintain cognitive and physical health, and promote the best possible quality of life. As a resident’s healthcare needs evolve, Abe’s Garden will be prepared to provide personalized daily care through assisted living. For the later stages of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, there will be skilled nursing and hospice care. Additionally, we will offer adult day care and respite care.

An intentional home environment will be created in living quarters occupied by up to 12 residents with similar lifestyle and level of cognitive health (image attached). Other features include easily identifiable neighborhoods, an extensive array of stimulating activities, and strategies that foster the independence of daily life, exceeding families’ expectations. Themed, interactive gardens will be located in a secured area.

Private resident rooms sample features:

• Following day clothing will be displayed in an open cubby to prompt daily routine.
• A window seat that assists residents with orientation to time of day, provides a place for visitors, and serves as hamper storage for supplemental bed linens to facilitate changes due to accidents.
• Large format, interactive flat screen televisions with wireless capability for video contact with families, as well as cognitive support software.
• Toilets within view from the bed as a visual prompt to daily routine.
• Color and material palette responding to issues of visual perception; i.e. eliminating contrast on floor surfaces (that can appear to be an obstacle) and providing limited wall contrast to help delineate items on shelves, counters, etc. from wall surfaces.
• Bed and entry door located on the same wall to enhance resident’s view of common area activity and patient visibility by staff.

Low patient-to-caregiver ratio with evidence based staff training and staffing model.

Justice Sandra Day O’Conner

Justice Sandra Day O’Conner has spoken publicly in support of Abe’s Garden, and has committed to future public support of the project. She recently donated a custom painting of the garden outside her home to Abe’s Garden.

Nonprofit Status

Nonprofit status allows Abe’s Garden to conduct a capital and endowment campaign to build the facility, lessen dependence on earned revenue, and serve low-income patients. It also allows the organization to qualify for tax-exempt bond financing which has been made attractive to financial institutions as a result of a provision included in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

LEED Certification

In order to serve as a model in all aspects of organizational function, Abe’s Garden will implement energy efficient, sustainable building strategies on all facets of development and program implementation.

Detail: LEED-accredited architect and consultants hired to oversee design of the facility and pursue LEED certification; geothermal heating; green roofs; rainwater harvesting natural light and day lighting; low water use fixtures; use of regional materials; use of products containing recycled content; use of native plants and vegetation; permeable pavement; recycling of construction materials; use of low or non-emitting products; ENERGY STAR appliances; energy usage reductions; operable windows; site lighting will achieve International Dark-Sky Association standards for dark sky friendly features; sound land use practices through its location on excess acreage surrounding an existing non-profit, senior-living facility.

Contact Abe's Garden for more information.