Irvine Cottages serves Alzheimer's patients in a residential atmosphere

By Peggy Blizzard
Irvine World News

The idea for Irvine Cottages, six residential assisted living homes for older adults with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, came about when owner and operator, Dr. Jacqueline DuPont, could not find a place equipped to take care of her grandfather who had Alzheimer's disease.

This, according to Barbara Hogg, executive director of Irvine Cottages. DuPont-Baum, she noted, was trained in gerontology, specializing in Alzheimer's disease.

Because of this background, said Hogg, "When we get a hard case where no one else will take them, she will say, 'Barbara, we have to take them in. No one else will.'"

Hogg has been in gerontology since 1973 when she was trained at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

"No one had heard of Alzheimer's disease then," she said. "It was called organic brain syndrome."

The first Irvine Cottage opened seven years ago at 1 Longstreet in Northwood, said Hogg.

"Then from there they opened one by one. There are six residents in each of the six homes. All are within a half-mile of each other."

The other homes, in order, are at 16 Porter, 7 Yorktown, 7 Princeton Court, 2 Brandywine and 7 Maslow.

Added Hogg, "Right now there are six people on the waiting list. Sometimes it goes up to 12. If it's an emergency situation, we would take the emergency situation before someone on the waiting list."

Rates are $3,300 a month for a semi-private room and $3,500 for a private room, according to Hogg.

"We also assist with long-term care insurance. We do the paperwork."

Such insurance totals $40 a day or $1,600 a month, to help with the monthly room payment, said Hogg.

"If (Alzheimer's) runs in a family, long-term care insurance is something to think about," she added.

At each cottage, patients who are in the same stage of Alzheimer's live together.

There's the first stage, stage 2 and end stage.

"We wouldn't want to clump those with stage 1 with those in the end stage," said Hogg. "That would scare them."

At every house, Irvine Cottages has a 24-hour monitor in each room and tapes are reviewed to maintain safety, said Hogg.

Irvine Cottages also provides hospice care.

"When a person gets very ill, instead of saying 'You have to leave,' we have a hospice waiver. Through a hospice agency we make their last days as comfortable as we can."

The age of residents at Irvine Cottages currently ranges from 56 to 100.

The 56-year-old is Joanne Spiegelman who was born with brain damage. Her mother, Mildred "Millie" Spiegalman was on hand last week to talk about Irvine Cottages.

"I was very fortunate said Spiegalman, 89, of being able to move her daughter from Coastal Community Hospital in Costa Mesa to the Longstreet cottage. Joanne, who had worked in a shelter workshop in Los Angeles where the family had lived, had suffered a stroke. Coastal could only keep her for observation for 10 days. A social worker recommended Irvine Cottages.

"I came here to see it and I was very impressed," said Spiegelman. "It's just been a blessing to have her here because it is a real home. She has tender loving care. They go beyond the call. They don't let her sit. She has physical therapy every few months, but they (the staff) watch the therapist and when they have a chance, give her therapy."

Speigelman also noted that the first time she came to view Irvine Cottages she saw activities director Marci Canipe in action.

"Marci is our ray of sunshine," said Hogg. "When our residents see her you can see the light in their faces.

Canipe coordinates individual birthday parties and outings, the most recent being a trip to Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar. Upcoming trips include one to see the swallows at San Juan Capistrano. For special holiday parties, she has to be at each of the six residences on that particular day as she will be on St. Patrick's day on Monday.

"I'm a professional party girl," laughed Canipe. "It's so much fun."

Hogg added, "On Halloween we had our more alert residents dress up and go with her around to the other houses. They all helped Marci throw the party in the next house."

Canipe also coordinated the annual Christmas gala which this year was held at the Mission Viejo Country Club where everyone won a raffle prize and Santa Claus appeared. This Easter will be celebrated at The Franciscan in Irvine.

"We also have a licensed music therapist (Janet Ballard) come twice a week," said Canipe. "Everybody gets an instrument. She involves their names in songs and orients them to time and place."

For instance, said Canipe, that morning the song started out, "Good morning, it's Monday. It's cold outside today."

"And on Veteran's Day they all heard songs from that era," added Canipe.

Planned to get under way this year for the more alert residents are individual planter gardens.

"A lot of them have grandkids come and they could give them tomatoes to take home with them," said Canipe.

Other activities include baking which provides "aroma therapy to stimulate the appetite" and pet therapy with the arrival of two golden retrievers every other week.

"There's always something for everybody," said Canipe. "Even if they don't want to participate, just being around the table talking and laughing helps."

With a loved one having Alzheimer's it can be a very stressful time for relatives, noted Hogg. That's why Irvine Cottages makes sure they know that the quality of life is as good as it can be for the residents, she said.

"If a family doesn't leave here with a smile on their face then we've done something wrong," she said. "We don't let that happen. Everyone needs to leave here with a smile on their face."

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