When it comes to caregiving, the details matter. That is why Sacred Heart Home Assisted Living & Memory Care community features subtle touches for the comfort and health of residents.
The community is organized into six “wellness neighborhoods,” and each 16-person neighborhood has private suites centered around a shared dining room. The spaces are designed to evoke the atmosphere of a household, sharing similar layouts and routines while providing different levels of support.
As residents’ individual needs change, they can move into a neighborhood that offers the degree of assistance they need.
“Aesthetically, it looks the same and operates the same, easing the transition,” explains Mindee McDonald, RN, BSN, administrator of Sacred Heart Home.
The memory care and assisted living community is part of the larger Brothers of Mercy Wellness Campus in Clarence, which also includes facilities for independent living, rehabilitation and outpatient care. In addition, the Russell J. Salvatore Health Center featuring the University at Buffalo Aging & Resiliency Research Center, a chiropractic office, mental health counseling and more is opening this fall.
“We're one of very few assisted living centers on a campus setting,” McDonald says. “That helps the residents much more when they need alternate care, whether that be rehab or skilled nursing.”
The Brothers of Mercy began providing compassionate care to Western New Yorkers 100 years ago when they first arrived from Germany, and Sacred Heart Home traces its history as the first care facility on the Clarence campus to 1952. The new facility, purpose-built to offer assisted living and memory care services, opened in 2020.
“Sacred Heart Home has always been known for quality and person-centered care that’s driven by the Brothers of Mercy mission,” says McDonald.
That person-centered approach is evident in the layout of Sacred Heart Home’s assisted living wing, which has family-accessible spaces, and its memory care wing, which offers sensory-supportive design and circadian rhythm lighting.
“The tone and brightness of the light is set up according to the day of the year and adjusted to keep balance, to promote continuity for the residents,” McDonald says.
McDonald played a role in planning the new community and is familiar with the intricacies of attending to the diverse needs of residents. She began her career with The Brothers of Mercy working in the kitchen as a teenager. She earned her medical credentials and served in several roles, including director of health services, before being promoted to her current position leading the community.
At Sacred Heart Home, staff support can include everything from medication management to leading recreation programs. Bingo is particularly popular, as are musical performances and talks by guest speakers. Daily enrichment activities for residents with dementia and memory care needs are tailored to their abilities and interests, and McDonald says the staff finds them just as gratifying.
“The most rewarding part of my work is the positive difference that my team makes in the lives of the residents and their families,” she says.
