Senior housing partnership brings technology, safety design to Clearwater memory care facility

A newly built community for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is preparing to open this month in Clearwater.

The memory care facility, the first phase of Aravilla Clearwater, draws on technology and design to bring a safe environment to residents.

It was developed in a partnership between Autumn Senior Living, a senior housing development and management company in Lakewood Ranch; Small Brothers, a real estate development company in Naples, Florida; and Cleveland Construction, a commercial contractor with Florida offices.

Construction was completed in January on the two-story, 65,000-square-foot memory care facility with 84 residential units and 95 beds. Work will begin soon on phase two of the project, a three-story, 105,000-square-foot assisted living center. The two buildings will be connected on a nearly eight-acre campus near the intersection of Union Street and McMullen Booth Road.

There’s a growing demand for assisted living facilities, which provide specialized care for the elderly, according to Grand View Research, a San Francisco-based market research and consulting firm. A report from Grand View said several trends are driving the growth of the assisted living industry:

• Rising healthcare costs, awareness of the benefits of assisted living facilities, which provide care at a lower cost than hospitals, and favorable reimbursements are the major growth drivers.

• Development of sophisticated and easy to use devices and services is likely to boost the market.

• The concept of continual care retirement communities is gaining traction among seniors with high disposable income, because residents don’t have to relocate when additional care is needed.

Aravilla Clearwater’s memory care facility includes a “Yellow Brick Road,” which is a clearly defined path to guide residents through the building and minimize their risk of becoming confused or upset. Each of the 84 residential units has home-style front porches, as well as high-end features.

Aravilla maintains evidence-based practices, like the “Yellow Brick Road” to make residents feel as comfortable as possible. The walkway is a clearly defined path with numerous points of interest and waypoints to guide residents through the building comfortably.

Aravilla Clearwater also partnered with CarePredict, a Fort Lauderdale-based digital health company. CarePredict’s technology observes residents’ daily activities and behavior patterns for changes that precede health decline, a news release said. It includes a smart wearable device, called Tempo, with keyless door access, a concierge services button, and two-way voice communication that allows residents to speak to staff and receive timely assistance and reassurance.

Other amenities in the new community will include Mediterranean diet-inspired food prepared fresh by an on-site chef, entertainment and dining areas, indoor and outdoor gathering places, a resort-style aqua-therapy pool, an outdoor garden and water features.

The outdoor fountain offers a beautiful and scenic location for residents to mingle with each other and their visiting family members.

Aravilla will have specific memory-care activities for residents and daily music in their promenade which features a coffee bar and a place to play a game of checkers or work on a puzzle.

The property is owned by 1990 N McMullen Booth Road LLC, which shares an address with Small Brothers. The company bought what was then vacant land in 2019 for $2.85 million, and has since spent about $10.5 million on construction, according to permit data filed with the Pinellas County property appraiser.

Autumn Senior Living also manages assisted living communities Aravilla Sarasota and Cabot Cove of Largo and is planning additional communities in Florida.