Promise House is an assisted living program specifically designed for individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia. Unlike traditional dementia facilities, Promise House focuses on creating a supportive, structured, and secure environment for tenants and their families. The facility is structured to resemble a "family-style" home, with small group living arrangements to help residents feel more at ease and reduce confusion. Research has shown that individuals with dementia tend to stabilize and show slower degeneration when in a smaller, more home-like environment.
Each unit at Promise House resembles a duplex, with 10 tenants residing in each unit. The facility features common areas, central bathing, laundry, kitchen, dining rooms, and private bathrooms for each tenant. Additionally, each tenant has a memory box outside their room filled with familiar items to provide comfort and familiarity. The goal of Promise House is to maximize each individual's level of functioning through a social model of care, emphasizing nurturing, encouragement, and the use of existing skills and routines to promote self-sufficiency and self-esteem.
Promise House operates with a unique staffing concept called Universal Workers, who are trained to work specifically with individuals with dementia. These workers provide assistance with activities of daily living and also lead social and recreational programs within each unit. The lifestyle at Promise House is focused on individualized care and support, with each tenant encouraged to participate to the extent they are able. Overall, Promise House strives to offer a personalized and homelike environment for individuals in all stages of Alzheimer's Disease, providing a sense of security, structure, and comfort for both residents and their families.