A $3 million expansion to an assisted living complex on Far Hills Avenue is a sign of the need for facilities in the region that specialize in Alzheimer’s care.
“There’s a lot of people that need (assistance) from the earliest onset to the later development of the disease,” said Bryan Nelson, executive director of The Carlyle House, 3490 Far Hills Avenue.
Construction of a new 18,000 square foot facility to the east of the existing building started this spring and is expected to be completed by the end of the fall.
The building, called the Renaissance at the Carlyle House, will feature 30 new suites, all dedicated to residents suffering from memory loss. The existing 51 suites in the original building on the property will transition to regular assisted living suites, Nelson said.
Executives said the new building will be two floors and each floor will serve residents suffering from a different stage of memory loss.
“The ages vary from our residents, 48 all the way up to 100,” Nelson said. “What we try to do is help people live to their fullest capabilities to their end days.”
The new facility follows a national and local trend toward state-of-the-art housing for memory-impaired patients.
Eric VanVlyman, executive director of the Miami Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said he would estimate between 10-15 facilities dedicated to assisting those with Alzheimer’s and other memory loss diseases have been built across the Miami Valley, including complexes in Centerville, Springboro, Troy, Greenville and Sidney.
“Until we find a cure, or a way to stop or slow this disease, we’re only going to see more,” VanVlyman said.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, approximately 30,000 people suffer from Alzheimer’s in the Miami Valley with some of those residents living in Kettering.
“Kettering has a very diverse population as far as age is concerned, and facilities like this really keep our community and our citizens here where they grew up and want to remain,” said Gregg Gorsuch, economic development manager for the city of Kettering.
The Renaissance at Carlyle House is expected to bring 20 new jobs to the community, Nelson said.
In addition to the 30 new suites, a 10,000 square foot arboretum and gardens is planned to connect the two buildings, and a walking path has already been constructed and is in the process of being landscaped.