Summer House at Vista del Monte Offers Innovative, Comforting Environment for Those With Cognitive Issues

Posted on August 8, 2023

The joy of hearing a favorite song. The comfort of smelling cookies baking in the oven. The sense of connection that comes from being with others. At Summer House, a memory-care neighborhood at Vista del Monte senior living community in Santa Barbara, these sensory experiences are woven into the daily lives of residents living with Alzheimer's and other cognitive challenges. Some are achieved in the usual way, such as making chocolate chip cookies in the counter-top Otis Spunkmeyer ove…

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Summer House Residents Connect Through Drum Circle

Posted on November 2, 2021

Standing in a patio full of expressive faces, Vista del Monte Fitness & Aquatics Specialist Karen Rojas holds up a green drum shaped like a wineglass. "This one's called a djembe," she says. "It's from Ghana." The 10 or so residents live at Summer House at Vista del Monte, the retirement community's memory care neighborhood. "Give it a try," Karen said, placing a two-foot-tall drum beside a resident named Betsy, encouraging her to play. "How about Jingle Bells," Betsy called, t…

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Memory Care Residences are Ready for Move-in at Vista del Monte’s Summer House

Posted on March 18, 2020

"An exceptional memory care community is designed to provide peace of mind for families and caregivers, but more importantly to enhance the quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and dementia," says Doug Tucker, Vista del Monte's executive director. "All too often, families wait until there is a true need to find a qualified memory care community." Doug is referring to Summer House, the newly opened memory care community on the Vista del Monte campus. This unique memory support "neig…

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