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Memory Care and Brain Health

North Star: Memory Care at Aster Gardens


Let us welcome you home to North Star, the Memory Care program at Aster Gardens. North Star is a world-class, person-centred program designed to support you in living your best life.

Memory Care is a form of specialized care that caters to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, other related dementias, and other memory concerns. 

It draws on our own experience, clinical best practices, and evidence-informed research. This program inspired the development of our Memory Care Neighbourhoods, which provide 24-hour supervised attention, care and support in an intentionally designed, home-style space.

Driven by passion, knowledge, experience, research, and partnerships, we created the North Star Memory Care and Brain Health Programs at Aster Gardens with you in mind. Our goal is to provide the highest possible quality of life to people living with memory concerns through the provision of care enriched with love, respect, and trust in a safe and comfortable environment.

This vision has been fueled by our own personal and professional experience providing supportive living services and residential mental health services, combined with clinical best practices, evidence-informed research, and key partnerships. These partners include the University of Alberta’s Dr. Adrian Wagg, the University of Manitoba’s Dr. Zahra Moussavi, Personalized Dementia Solution’s Karen Tyrell, Grier Dementia Training’s Kim Grier, and many others. 

On behalf of the entire Optima Living family, a special thanks to our many partners who contributed to the realization of this dream. Our vision of world-class North Star Memory Care and Brain Health, where every person can live their best life, would not be possible without their generous collaboration and support.

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Memory Care Self-Assessment Is Memory Care at Aster Gardens right for you or your loved one? Take the self-assessment questionnaire to find out and receive more information.
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Person-Centred Care

Person-centred care is more than just words – it is a lived experience. It is based on values, compassion, empathy, respect, love, and dignity and its essence is woven into each of the four pillars of the Optima Living Memory Care Program. Person-centred care has driven the development of this program from the physical design of our space to our care partner training and the various offerings we provide to residents at Aster Gardens. We will support you through an individualized approach in which you will have a say in each decision made regarding your care. We want to know your story, who you are, what you like, what you hope for, and how you want to live.

Memory Care Pillars

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Pillar 1: Home Your home should be a space that visibly and emotionally feels warm and comfortable. The space around you should reflect your wants and needs to provide you with a safe space to design, adjust, personalize, and feel comfortable in. Your home should reflect your values, interests, and hobbies to help you foster a healthy and enjoyable life. This is what we promise to provide at Aster Gardens.
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Pillar 2: Holistic The holistic pillar of the Optima Living Memory Care Program is framed by our Optima Living Brain Health Program which helps us understand you: your needs, story, feelings, and what makes you happy.

Research suggests that by making the right lifestyle changes, the progression of memory loss can be managed. Let us show you how your quality of life can be improved through a program tailored to the needs of your mind, body, and spirit.
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Pillar 3: Meaningful Relationships We are a family, made up of residents, their families, and care partners. We are an understanding, meaningful, and loving unit and we promise to treat one another as such before anything else.

We want to ensure you live in a space which fosters inclusiveness and social engagement, promotes meaningful relationships, and enhances quality
of life.
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Pillar 4: Safety and Quality of Care At Aster Gardens, our top priorities are your safety and security and the quality of care you receive. The physical space in our Memory Care Neighbourhoods is carefully designed to cater to your needs, and those of your family and visitors. This includes the use of appropriate signage, lighting, colour, and design. Infection control standards are also maintained with daily cleaning services, sanitation, and ongoing evaluation.

Aster Gardens provides best-in-class care to residents living with us by meeting or exceeding all standards and utilizing the latest technological advancements to enhance the quality of care offered.
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A Day in the Life of a Memory Care Resident Interested in learning about what it is like to live in our Memory Care Neighbourhood? Read about a day in the life of Margaret, a Memory Care resident.
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Family Resources We provide information on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and helpful tips for the family and friends of individuals living in the Memory Care Neighbourhoods at Aster Gardens.
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