Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Paddock Springs broke ground Thursday on a new 24-suite Legacy Memory Care Center, expanding the future of care for those with Alzheimer's and dementia in Kosciusko County.
Paddock Springs, 2695 Shelden St., Warsaw, currently has a waiting list for the 15 beds in its current memory care unit. The new standalone center is slated for completion in November 2026.
It will have 24 suites dedicated entirely to memory care, freeing up space in the main building.
"If you're the primary caregiver and you would like to go to your son's wedding and you need a little break, you've really got to have a secure unit ...," said Brandy Rodabaugh, Trilogy Health Divisional Growth Development. "Now we'll have more beds, so we're going to be able to accommodate people that need that break and they'll be able to stay in a safe environment."
Trilogy Healthcare, which owns Paddock Springs, has close to 150 Legacy Memory Care centers, but there is nothing else like it in Kosciusko County. As several guest speakers said to the assembled crowd of staff and chamber members, this center could prove a meaningful change for those affected by dementia and their families.
"I do have a loved one that is a resident at Paddock Springs," Cindy Dobbins, Warsaw County Councilwoman, said in her address to the crowd. "It is my hope that this facility has the promise to be more than just a building built of bricks and mortar. I'm confident that it will improve the lives of families and residents by providing a safe, supportive, and compassionate community. A community that honors ... the individual and unique stories of the people that come to call this home."
As Rodabaugh explained during the ceremony, Legacy Memory Care will use specific approaches, including pairing residents with "best friends" dedicated to getting to know residents' history to give them the best care possible.
"How we react and interact with a resident, a lot of it's going to do with the information that we gather, what works best for them, what agitates them, what triggers them," Rodabaugh said.
The center will also include "life stations," dedicated to the needs of each resident.
"If we have a resident that was a longtime fisher and really likes fiddling with fishing poles and lures, we might have a fishing station. If we have a resident that is on her dementia journey and where she is 40 years ago and she was a mom ... we may have like a little bassinet and a baby station," said Rodabaugh.
Emily Emby, RN, NP said specialized care "100%" improves quality of life for residents with dementia.
"It improves their quality of life, minimizes their behaviors ... We don't have people on nearly as many meds, it decreases psychotropic meds," Emby explained.
"We're very excited about the expansion and to support such a great community," said Joe Collins, REAL Services program manager for Alzheimer's and dementia services.
The branch of REAL Services provides free support and education to those with dementia and their families, like support groups, family consultations and memory screens.
Karen Kauffman, Paddock Springs Alzheimer's and dementia facilitator for Kosciusko County, and Angie Tom of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors shared the Dementia Dialogue support group meets at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month in the Parkview Warsaw YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive.
Other guest speakers included Rob Parker, Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce CEO; Jeremy Skinner, Warsaw community and economic development director; and Raquel Kline, Paddock Springs administrator.
