Silvergate breaks ground on new memory care building

FALLBROOK “ On Sept. 15, Silvergate Fallbrook Retirement Residence broke ground on Silvergate Suites, a new state-of-the-art building dedicated to providing memory care services to residents. Construction on the building will begin later this month, with its doors scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.

The $3.5 million project will provide the largest memory care facility in Fallbrook, with 16 new apartments and 24 beds serving people suffering from Alzheimer's and related diseases.

Silvergate Fallbrook came to Fallbrook in 1990 to address the need for retirement and assisted living services. In 2003, a second building was added to the campus. Now, the third building, Silvergate Suites, will allow the campus to provide a œcontinuum of care of independent, assisted living, and memory care services to its residents. As a result, couples will be able to stay together on one campus, even when one spouse requires memory care support.

The unique architectural design of Silvergate Suites revolves around a grouping of small individual houses with a limited number of residents that are joined together as a part of a bigger building.

œThe smaller houses, or 'suites,' allow us to provide more individual care and attention to each resident with the highest caregiver staffing ratios available, explained David Petree, president of AmeriCare Health & Retirement, œThe bigger building allows the residents access to a greater level of support within the community including stronger activity programs, continuous nursing supervision, and a food service program not available to smaller communities.

Local constituents and community leaders in attendance at the event included Fallbrook Honorary Mayor Lila McDonald, Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce CEO Richard Kennedy, Fallbrook Foundation for Senior Care Executive Director Dotty Metcalf, Kristen Huyck from the office of State Legislator Kevin Jefferies, and Donna Thompson from the office of State Senator Joel Anderson.