Covenant House Assisted Living
Dedicated to the Art of Dignified Senior Living
Our Vision
To provide loving care in an elegant home environment, serving our residents with warm, compassionate thoughtfulness which preserves their dignity. To give our residents as much independence as possible, while ensuring their safety. To encourage friendships between the residents and care givers, creating a family atmosphere. To always give our residents the honor that they deserve while ensuring security and peace of mind for the families of our residents by knowing their elder loved one is in a safe, nurturing environment. We surround our residents with individuals who love appreciate and respect them, while strongly encouraging a working partnership with the residents’ families.
Tailored Caregiving
Because every person is unique, our residents receive their own personalized care plan, which is updated regularly to ensure that each individual at Covenant House enjoys the care that they deserve. Not only do our caregivers, volunteers, visiting entertainment and activities coordinators provide fun activities at Covenant House, they are committed to making each residents life more fulfilled and purposeful.
There are many benefits of being part of a small “boutique” family- oriented assisted living home. In addition to tailoring services to meet an individual\’s wants and needs, we also help improve quality of life. A recent 2013 ALFA (Assisted Living Federation of America) assisted living facility study showed that 90 percent of people reported high satisfaction and a higher quality of life.
Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Details
100 Shady Trails Pass, Cedar Park, TX 78613, USA
Phone: (512) 917-4117
E-mail: info@covenanthouseaustin.com Website: covenanthouseaustin.com
About Us
About Us
The vision and creation of Assisted Living by Covenant House began with the search for a place for Bill’s mother Imogene.
When we decided it was best to move her to the Austin area we started an exhaustive search to find the right place. Our ultimate desire was for exemplary loving, gentle care surrounded by friends with activities created especially for her.
We were becoming concerned by the low ratio of hands-on caregivers, per resident, in the facilities we visited. Also, the focus was often on the activities offered for residents, which Imogene made clear she did not have the ability or desire to do. Our concern was with her daily care and our hard questions about actual care were often not answered to our satisfaction
Tina, the regional supervisor of an elder placement service who had been recommending facilities for us to tour, suggested that we tour small residential care homes. After touring several, we agreed there was a much better ratio of care givers, but still not what we were looking for as a whole. We wanted a family environment and loving care, with the ambiance of a high end residence; the kind of home we ourselves would want to live in. This was about Imogene’s happiness….. living with love and dignity.
Tina then asked us the life changing question – “Have you ever considered opening a residential care home yourselves?” She pointed out that we were very committed and passionate and very knowledgeable about what is available and how things might be done differently to improve an elderly residents’ care and lifestyle. We were semi-retired and had been concerned about finding a meaningful purpose during this season of our lives. We saw this as an open door.
Tina recommended that we meet with consultants who own eight small assisted living facilities, and who had taken care of her uncle. Although it was a two day commitment, and a 400 mile drive, we took the time to explore the possibilities and gather information.
We knew, after learning more, that we could create a home for elders which was like nothing else available. That we would find solutions for the many inadequacies we saw and relieve other families from the on-going concerns we had experienced in trying to find care for our own families elders, the kind of care they deserved and we desired for them.
We have created a loving family home, not a facility with a team of board members who’s own family members don’t live there and who work for a financial bottom-line based on profits not purpose.
Assisted Living by Covenant House is a place where residents are loved and treated with respect and dignity. They are surrounded by elegance and luxurious comforts as well as exemplary cuisine and interesting and fun personalized activities.
We look forward to taking you on a tour of Assisted Living by Covenant House. You will meet our care giving team and resident family, possibly enjoy a homemade cookie or some other tasty treat, and see how unique and different we are for yourself.
Services
Services include any or all of the following:
Assistance with Needs of Daily Living:
Daily Cuisine – includes 3 tasty meals and snacks dailyMedication AssistanceMobility(we have no floor transitions in Covenant House for safety and ease of mobility).GroomingDressingBathing(always includes luxurious products and a visit to our perfume and cologne bar)Bathroom Assistance(frequently for prevention of urinary tract issues and preventable accidents)Laundry
Medical and Health Professionals that partner with us and come into Covenant House:
Physicians and their staff who make “House Calls”Home Health Care ProfessionalsPhysical TherapyHospice Professionals
Our Team
Our Team
Cuisine
One of the aspects we highly focus on at Covenant house are the meals and snacks we serve to our residents. This has become an important part of our lifestyle at Covenant House. When Bill’s mom Imogene (see Imogene story) often had negative things to say about the food in more than one of the facilities she lived in, we decided to join her for several meals and we had to agree they were ordinary and tasteless. With such tasteless food there is little motivation to eat. One of the advantages of our smaller “Boutique” Assisted Living is the ability to create food that is tasty and to insure that your loved one is eating healthy nutritious food as well as looking forward to and enjoying their meals. The food we serve is a highlight of our resident’s day. We listen to their requests and get their feedback. We know their individual favorites before they even move in to Covenant House, and to insure consistent excellence when it comes to our meals we have a few “Cuisine Partners” – Diane Fader, Alicia Phipps and Con’ Olio.
Diane Fader is a registered dietitian and has had over 20 years of experience in creating healthy meals and recipes for the elder population.
Alicia Phipps is the owner of Savory Spice. Her unique and fragrant spice shop is an adventure in culinary embellishments from blended spices and flavored sugars and extracts, plus so much more.
Con’ Olio Oils and Vinegars has the most tasty and unique balsamic vinegar and oils we have ever tried. The choices are both sweet and savory, as well as bold and light and highly flavorful.
We are excited to use them to embellish our cuisine at Covenant House.
Features
Many of the features at Assisted Living by Covenant House were created because of what we saw as lacking in other facilities, both in areas of the structure as well as the care. (covenanthouseaustin.com will give full details)
Covenant House Care:
Experienced, loving hands on care giversHigh ratio of care givers to residents24/7 careExcellent menus snacks and condimentsCuisine partners to help enhance menusVariety of fun daily activities with care giversVisiting entertainment and activities (music, pets crafts, etc)Visiting volunteersLuxury bath productsPerfume bar
Covenant House Building:
Residential home in a newer high-end neighborhoodDecorated by professional decoratorNo transitions or thresholds in the floor for safetyLarge dining room tableLarge leather fully reclining sectional sofaTransition into showers completely levelLarge ADA compliant bathroomAll doorways widenedNew Lighting added throughoutHigh tech TV, sound bar and speakersFine furnishingsUpholstered (Disguised) fully adjustable hospital bedsFine custom linensBeautiful landscaping front and back4 ft walkways in backyard3 large patio areasComfortable patio furnishingsOutdoor yard benchesWater featuresGardening areaBird feedersLarge shade trees
Activities
One of the advantages we have as a small “boutique” assisted living home is to personalize the activities for each of our residents as well as create fun group activities that include all residents. We are also able to include staff and the families of residents in a way a large facility cannot. We have more than 100 different ideas to choose from and the following is just an example of the kinds of things that might be a part of your loved one’s days. The personalized activities will evolve as we build our relationship with each individual resident. Their feedback, as well as their individual abilities, are always considered.
Covenant House – Circle of Hope
- Compassion International ( Covenant House has Sponsored 5 year old Sarah who is from Kenya – Our residents connect with her through writing letters)
- Backpack stuffing for local back to school programs
Visiting Entertainment
- Baby Day (visit with mommies and their babies)
- Children Dance Studio Performances
- Choir Performances
- Magic Show (professional)
- Student – This Day in History report
- Speech Club Recitations (school speech team presents, skits, poetry, monologues)
- Collection sharing and demonstrations (visiting collectors and hobby lovers share their interests with Q and A)
- Guest Historians & Antiques
- Famous -Who Am I? (Costumed character comes in and talks about their life)
- Trained visitation dogs
Entertainment
- 1940’s Old Time Radio Hour
- Movie Night with Popcorn
- Classic Movie Night
- Sing-A-Longs
- Poetry readings
- Lawrence Welk Night
- Comedy Night (Carol Burnett Show, The Dean Martin Show, etc.)
- Wheel of Fortune Night
Resident Connect
- 50s Night (Music, Fad Food & Games)
- Resident Home Movies (residents families assist with the presentation)
- Reminiscing Game ( which encourages personal story-telling)
- This is Your Life (especially for milestone birthdays)
- Write Letters to Someone Famous with questions from residents.
- Chit Chat Starters (questions which start interesting and fun conversations)
- Book Club
- Karaoke Party
- Catalogue Hour
- International Theme Presentation (each time a different country will be featured with personal stories from residents facts, pictures, folklore, music and a food to taste)
- Sweetheart Stories (residents share a fun or touching story about their sweetheart)
- Gospel and Hymn Sing
- Sing Alongs
Arts, Crafts and Culinary Fun
- Iron-On Quilt ( featuring a resident, with personal photos and pictures of their interests)
- Craft Door Decorations for the Seasons
- Cookie Decorating
- Baking Day
- Postcard Party
- Ceramics Painting
- Fresh Flower Arranging
- Scrap Booking
- Stamp it up Greeting Card Class
Cuisine Events
(All resident dietary needs are considered)
- Candlelight Dinner with Violinist
- Luau Party (Hawaiian food, music and movie – Elvis, Blue Hawaii)
- Elvis Party (movies, music, fried PB & banana Sandwiches)
- Musical Movie Night (give history and sing-a-long lyrics, snacks and props)
- Mardi Gras (cajun food snacks, beads for everyone, zydeco music!)
- Banana Split Party
- Candlelight Dinner with Violinist
- Rootbeer (and Coke) Floats
- Cookie Make & Bake and EAT
- S’mores Night
- Smoothie Night
- Fondue Party
- Indoor or Outdoor Picnic (with picnic foods)
- Pizza Making (make & bake a little pizza how you want it)
- Pizza Party Delivered
Exercise
- Range of Motion – Ball Toss Exercise
- Stretch & Limber
- Dumbbell Workout
- Lite Yoga
Celebrations and Family Gatherings
- Resident Themed Birthday Parties
- Great Grand Parent Connection ( a time for arts crafts movie or ??? the resident their family and the staff create an evening which revolves around the resident and their family almost anything goes – LETS GET CREATIVE!)
Games
- Sharp as a Tack (word & problem solving games)
- Board games
- Bingo
- Reminiscing game (which encourages personal story-telling)
- Penny Poker
- Black Jack
- Fun cards (card games of all kinds)
- Bean bag toss
- Trivia Time
- Group Crossword
- TV – Wheel of Fortune Night
Holiday Activities
- New Years Eve party (watch Times Square ball drop, party blowers, hats, sparkling cider)
- Tournament of Roses Parade
- Valentines for fellow residents & staff
- Visit from Cupid – pass out chocolates
- St. Patrick’s Day party (Irish dancing performance)
- April Fools Day – silly hats
- Easter egg hunt
- Egg decorating
- Visit from the Easter bunny
- May Day baskets to give to someone else
- Cinco de Mayo Fiesta (mariachi music, non-alcoholic margaritas & nacho building)
- Mother’s Day Tea (tea choices, petit fours, cookies, chick flick)
- Memorial Day (make red, white & blue decorations, hot dog/hamburger cookout
- 4th of July celebration
- Labor Day cookout
- Grandparent’s Day (arrange for as many grandchildren to call or visit as possible and or have family email recent photos)
- Trick-or-Treat & costumes
- Thanksgiving menu (planning and some food preparation with residents)
- Decorate Christmas trees for facility
- Ornament painting
- Christmas cookie decorating
- Staff pick a resident Secret Santa
- Christmas party with visit from Santa & open presents
- Christmas popcorn & cranberry strings
Imogene’s Story
Imogene’s Story
As Told by Loyce
When I first met my future mother-in-law, Imogene, I was her son Bill’s “girl” she was living in an independent living facility in Abilene, Texas in her own apartment and was fairly mobile. At that time Imogene enjoyed many of the activities provided by the facility.
While living in Abilene, Imogene suffered a fractured finger and stitches in her head from two separate falls. When she decided she wanted to be closer to her grandchildren and great grand-children she moved to Richardson, Texas, into an combination independent-assisted living facility where she could receive more care. By that time she had begun using a walker.
The falling episodes continued and were very frightening, both to Imogene and to her family. It became evident that another long-term solution was needed. Imogene and the family decided on another independent/assisted living facility. Imogene was becoming less mobile and was very lucky her falling injuries were minor. That was soon to change.
The family wanted Imogene to have more care but, understandably, she wanted her independence, and her situation became a difficult balancing act. The family was trying to keep her safe while still honoring her request for a semi-independent arrangement. Meanwhile, I was no longer Bill’s “girl”. I was now his wife and Imogene and I had loved each other from the start. Now she was “Ma” to me.
As Imogene became less mobile and had more frequent falls it became apparent to us for her own safety she needed more care. With this in mind, she was moved to a full assisted living facility and although she was now using a walker, the falls continued. The dilemma we faced: in a large care facility there is usually ONE hands on caregiver for every FIFTEEN TO EIGHTEEN or more residents. One caregiver, no matter how fast and efficient, can not care for the needs of that many elderly people.
During this time, Imogene had to be placed in four weeks of very costly rehab after a bad fall in her bathroom and then having to lie on the floor for hours until she was discovered. She did not want to go into a nursing home and she did not need 24 hour nursing care. We were now compelled to take further precautionary steps which included a wheelchair instead of a walker to help keep her as safe as possible.
As you can see below …
This was in rehab following her worst fall. She suffered a fractured nose and dislocated jaw, but look at her resilience and her SMILE!!! Bill took this photo in the emergency room at the hospital. The family expressed their deep concern about her condition and her response was, “what are you all upset about, I’m just fine” ….. that’s our Imogene!She’s a Great Depression era survivor who was married for 56 years, raised 5 boys, and received her Masters Degree at the age of 60. She deserves to be honored! Imogene was excited to be a resident of Assisted Living by Covenant House. She peacefully relocated to Heaven onMarch 1, 2016. Her last days at Covenant House were joy-filled, blessed and happy! Covenant House is now part of the legacy she leaves behind.