The Summit Opens New Memory Support Neighborhood in Lynchburg

New facility offers specialized Alzheimer's and dementia care in four small households designed for personalized attention and independent living.

LYNCHBURG, Va. — The Summit Retirement Community has unveiled a new Memory Support Neighborhood designed to provide specialized care for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

The facility, located at 1320 Enterprise Drive, was scheduled to celebrate its grand opening Thursday, Nov. 12, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the new neighborhood.

The Memory Support Neighborhood features four households accommodating up to five residents each, providing space for as many as 20 residents.

Each household includes private bedrooms and shared living, dining and kitchen areas. A secure outdoor courtyard also allows residents to spend time outside in a protected environment.

The neighborhood follows a small-household model intended to create a more personal, home-like setting where residents can develop relationships with caregivers and receive individualized attention.

The Summit, part of the nonprofit LifeSpire of Virginia senior living network, will provide care through LifeSpire's Cornerstone Memory Program. The program uses specially trained staff and individualized care plans emphasizing residents' abilities, personal histories, relationships and opportunities for meaningful daily activities.

“Families facing memory loss deserve a place where their loved ones can continue living with purpose, dignity, and connection,” said Kristi Martin, The Summit's executive director.

“Our new Memory Support Neighborhood reflects The Summit's commitment to providing innovative care in a welcoming environment where residents are supported as individuals and empowered with choices in purposeful living,” Martin added.

The opening is part of a larger expansion underway at The Summit.

Other projects include Blue Ridge Commons, a planned 30,000-square-foot wellness and dining facility, and four hybrid home buildings intended to provide additional senior living options.

The Summit operates as a Life Plan Community, offering independent living, assisted living and additional levels of care as residents' needs change.

More information is available at summitlynchburg.org.