SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sunrise Senior Living, a leading provider of senior living services, plans to open its newest community, Sunrise of Carmichael, in late July.  Sunrise of Carmichael, the Company's fifth community in Sacramento, will be the first custom-built Sunrise community in California to feature distinctive programs for residents with early, mild or advanced cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease. The program also benefits seniors looking to maintain an active, healthy and engaging lifestyle by focusing on their mind, body and soul.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association of California, approximately 500,000 Californians are afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia disorder.  In the U.S., as many as 5.3 million people are living with Alzheimer’s and it is estimated that someone new develops the disease every 70 seconds.

“We are pleased to introduce this new community to the Sacramento area as we know many families are struggling to provide care for their loved ones,” said Orville ‘Pepper’ Bell, executive director of Sunrise of Carmichael. “Since 1981, Sunrise has served residents experiencing memory loss with highly personalized service and innovative programming, helping to reassure families that their loved ones enjoy the appropriate level of stimulation in a safe and comfortable environment.”

Sunrise of Carmichael will offer Terrace Club, a program exclusive to Sunrise, which offers cognitively stimulating programs to those in the earlier stages of memory loss, allowing the residents to find purpose and confidence.  Through a range of memory enhancement features, Terrace Club focuses on residents’ personal interests and life experiences while promoting both cognitive and physical stimulation.  The program offers special dietary and fitness offerings intended to encourage brain health and also supplies tools that help compensate for memory loss including personalized daily calendars and designated care partners that assist the resident. 

Sunrise’s award-winning Reminiscence program is also available at the new Carmichael community. Developed in 1995, the Reminiscence program offers a more-secure, close-knit environment featuring life skill activities and structured opportunities for residents to reminisce. The multi-sensory experience in this neighborhood helps promote a pleasant and comfortable living environment through soothing and familiar smells, sights and sounds.

Residents at Sunrise of Carmichael will also benefit from life enrichment managers who will work with designated care managers to identify and design activities intended to enhance each individual’s quality of life.  Further, families and friends of residents living with memory-loss may also participate in Sunrise’s special Journey of Discovery program that is designed to help them better communicate with their senior loved ones.

“We know that caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease presents special challenges and that many caregivers report high levels of stress and depression associated with meeting the needs of their loved one,” said Denise Davis from the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “As more and more families are confronted with these realities, we are pleased to see a new community like Sunrise of Carmichael open to serve these special needs, providing not only relief for caregivers but also enriching lives of the seniors with memory impairments.” Sunrise’s memory care programs align closely with the Alzheimer’s Association’s standards, The Guidelines for Dignity. 

The new 38,000 square foot community located at 5451 Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael, Calif. will employ approximately 40 team members and provide individualized care and services to more than 60 residents in a beautiful home-like setting.  Design features include elegantly appointed and spacious common areas, dining room, bistro, shaded porches and comfortable lounges. Residents may choose from private or companion suites complete with a full bath and choice of floor plans, comfortable quality furnishings, artwork and wall-to-wall carpeting.  

About Sunrise Senior Living
Sunrise Senior Living, a McLean, Va.-based company, employs approximately 40,000 people. As of May 8, 2009, Sunrise operated 411 communities in the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom, with a combined unit capacity of approximately 42,000 units. Sunrise offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including independent living, assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative services. Sunrise's senior living services are delivered by staff trained to encourage the independence, preserve the dignity, enable freedom of choice and protect the privacy of residents. To learn more about Sunrise, please visit http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com.