A Wonderful, Active Lifestyle

Our activities schedule is different every day, but often starts with some form of exercise – either chair exercises, morning walks or other activities that keep residents moving and help them build strength and flexibility. Throughout the day we bring outside entertainers in to play music, show movies, involve residents in bingo and card games, offer activities focused on snacks like daily ice cream socials, and of course, we have lots of arts and crafts. In fact, as part of the Memories in the Making program through the local Alzheimer’s Association, we provide painting and drawing classes. Residents’ artwork, along with artwork from other people with Alzheimer’s who live in the area, is submitted to the Memories in the Making annual art show and competition. We are proud to say that in recent years, two of our residents have won! Our residents also love bowling, so we often set up bowling pins for them to play. Religious services are held every Sunday. We also have a priest in every week to give communion and a local Christian minister visits our community to sing with residents.

Families are also very involved with our community. In fact, we have a major family event – a Father’s Day barbeque, a special holiday dinner, etc. – once a quarter. Family members also frequently donate their time and help organize activities, such as overseeing bingo games or helping with our non-alcoholic happy hours, held every Thursday. We also have special events, such as tea socials, just for our ladies, and Guys Night, when our male residents watch a sports game while enjoying pizza.

Partnering with the Local Neighborhood Community

In conjunction with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, we sponsor a monthly support group, facilitated by our Community Relations Director. The group is always open to staff, family members and to the Denver community at large. Our community also participates in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s, with some family members joining our staff in the walk. The monies we raise go to various endeavors conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association, including research. We also partner with Senior Care of Colorado, which provides many of our therapists and physicians. And Heartland Hospice visits our community every other month to provide training for our staff on topics related to caring for seniors with memory impairments.

Fine Dining

Brookdale Pinehurst Park provides three healthy, nutritious meals a day, along with three main snacks. Beverages and snacks are also available any time of the day or night. Meals are prepared in our main kitchen, then brought to each separate dining room. An intimate dining experience allows our staff to spend more one-on-one time with residents during mealtime. This is so important, because as the disease progresses, people with memory disorders tend to lose weight. We’re able to pay close attention to weight issues and will try different types of food as necessary to ensure our residents get the proper nutrition. For example, there are always a variety of finger foods available, so that our residents can wander and eat at the same time. Our meals are served on colored plates, so that they can easily distinguish their food on the plate. We can accommodate any type of special diet, including mechanical soft, pureed, ground or any other type of diet a resident may need. And of course, we provide as much assistance with eating as the resident requires. We also have events throughout the year, featuring special meals, summer barbecues and holiday dinners.