Columbus Assisted Living Expands to Specialized Memory Care Assisted Living

Our mission here at Magnolia Manor is to serve seniors according to their individual needs. That means we have to adapt as those needs change. Toward that end, the assisted living part of our campus in Columbus is now Columbus Specialized Memory Care Assisted Living.

We still have the two skilled nursing sections (Columbus East and Columbus West) which offer skilled nursing, rehab therapy, and dementia care for skilled nursing residents.

We Saw a Need in the Community

“Columbus has a limited number of memory care apartments available, especially at a reasonable cost,” explains Melissa Ryland, Columbus Specialized Memory Care Assisted Living administrator. “Cognitive challenges are common among assisted living residents. We see that first-hand every day, and with constantly increasing rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia, there is more and more need.”

She’s right. Nearly 10% of American adults age 65 or older have dementia, and 22% have mild cognitive impairment. Numbers are about the same for men and women, and those numbers are increasing. More than 9 million US seniors could have dementia by 2030, almost 12 million by 2040.

The Columbus campus was already equipped to serve seniors needing assistance. We saw an opportunity to reach an underserved part of the market by blending memory care with assisted living. We undertook this much-needed expansion in response to the rising number of inquiries we are getting about memory care for loved ones no longer able to manage at home.

Many of our assisted living residents are still at the campus because they were, unfortunately, already displaying a need for memory care but not in need of the full assistance that a skilled nursing resident would require.

So, What’s New?

“This building’s been here for 30 years,” Melissa notes, “but it has been entirely renewed for its new purpose.” We performed renovations to refresh the facility overall and added memory-care-specific upgrades to ensure the entire environment is now compatible with our new focus. There were a lot of changes, so it was a gradual transformation that started in 2023 and was completed in 2024.

New Secure Courtyard

We now have an enclosed courtyard that provides a safe outdoor gathering space free from worries about residents wandering. This is a common issue among those with dementia. For the same reason, we also added locked egress doors to the facility. The outdoor patio now includes two covered eating areas where families can gather with their loved one for a fresh-air picnic.

Designated Spaces

Separate spaces that are clearly recognizable make it easier for memory care residents to know where they are and why. So we now have designated rooms for activities, and our dining room now looks like a lovely restaurant.

Especially meaningful for residents, we converted a former multi-purpose space to serve as a full-time, designated chapel complete with a pulpit. No longer having to share with other activities means residents can understand this is a holy space -- you’re in church! Here, the campus chaplain provides counseling, Bible study classes, and Sunday services.

Updated Furniture

“We upgraded our furniture so it is better adapted to memory care,” Melissa explains. “It is beautiful but durable.” The colors are warm and calming. The décor is uplifting and brighter, featuring pleasant visuals including lots of animals – hunting dogs, birds, and sketches of happy pups.

Updated lighting

We installed new light fixtures throughout the building to make all of the spaces brighter. That allows our residents to have better visibility to navigate.

“All of our staff are very proud of the changes we’ve made,” Melissa said. “They see Magnolia Manor investing in what they believe in – providing quality, loving care to seniors at a reasonable price.”

Come for a Tour!

If you’re thinking about memory care options for a loved one, Magnolia Manor’s new Columbus Specialized Memory Care Assisted Living community may be just what you’re looking for. We’d love to give you a personal tour and answer all your questions. Please give us a call at (707) 507-1029.