The Heritage Philosophy of Care

Person-Centered Approach to Care

Our philosophy is that everything we do starts with the idea that every individual is a whole person – regardless of their level of dementia – with many different backgrounds, abilities, interests, beliefs, preferences, and needs.  We believe that each resident deserves to be understood and should be encouraged to be involved, to whatever extent possible, in participating in their care.

We also value and respect our resident’s innate right to have choices everyday and strive to provide opportunities for Life Activities  that not only have meaning and purpose, but also promote independence and choice.  To that end, each home has a Homemaker that is dedicated to creating an atmosphere that encourages and inspires resident participation in our dynamic activities program.

A key part of taking a person-centered approach to care is embracing an interactive process that focuses on building personal relationships  between each resident, their family, medical professionals, and our care staff.  Our goal is to create a collaborative partnership among everyone involved that ultimately enhances each resident’s daily life experiences. In each of our homes, everything we do is guided first by the question, “What is the right thing to do for the resident?”

A Safe and Comfortable Place to Live

Our philosophy of care started when we designed our homes where residents will live and enjoy life every day.  We deliberately chose to move away from a model of institutional living and create a smaller, home-environment where daily life is more like being at home with friends and family.  The pace and flow of how each home operates centers around our residents and their families and what is important to them.

Starting with safety, every aspect of how our homes are designed considers the changing needs of people who are challenged with the effects of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.  By design, our homes naturally encourage residents to move about freely and to safely go outdoors whenever they desire.  Our smaller environment and open floor plan minimize confusion and anxiety, allow residents to feel secure and comfortable, and promote independence and choice.

Our philosophy of care at Heritage of Overland Park