Stratford Development Corporation

Grand Opening of Seasons Care Center

Stratford Development Corporation of Raytown is pleased to announce the opening of Seasons Care Center in the Lakewood area.

Formerly the Truman Neurological Center, Stratford Development Corporation redesigned it into a 46-bed facility dedicated solely to the care of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and other related neurological disorders.

More important than the revitalization value of this project to the public and medical communities, the Missouri Department on Aging reports that Seasons is the only stand-alone, licensed facility in Missouri designed exclusively for the care of Alzheimer's residents. But why is this news?

We believe that Seasons is the first wave of facilities being built across the US to address the special needs and concerns of managing the care for residents and caretakers dealing with the effects of Alzheimer's and dementia.

According to the Hear of America Alzheimer's Association, approximately 4 million people have Alzheimer's disease, 19 million say they have a family member with the disease and 37 million know someome with it. Moreover, statistics show that people 85 years and older have a 50-50 chance of developing the disorder, and represent the fastest growing population segment.

We believe that Seasons addresses the following crucial issues:

Social: With projections as such by 2040, the amount of beds needed to accommodate those diagnoses is staggering. Special facilities to treat Alzheimer's and assist caretakers will be desperately needed to accommodate humane care of this disease.

Because more than 7 of 10 people with Alzheimer's live at home, family members are shouldering around-the-clock regimens while holding down full-time jobs. It becomes an exhaustive, increasingly restrictive lifestyle that can destroy the health of key family members.

Workers absent from jobs to meet elder care needs costs corporations money and results oftentimes in an employee leaving a job for part-time work. Seasons Care Center and it's Day Services program will provide educational resources and support families.

Economic: With seventy cents of every dollar in America in the pocket of somone over the age of 50, a disease threatening to decimate that population group takes on enormous proportions to our economy and to Baby Boomer caretakers inheriting parents' estates. And with the average lifetime cost of $174,000 per patient, the numbers add up to astronomical costs to families bearing the out-of-pocket burden. Ultimately, more government and legislative action will be needed to help citizens enter facility care. Seasons is the beginning of this collaboration to provide all-around service to residents and families.

Medical: The degenerative nature of Alzheimer's disease and the decreasing levels of functioning that ensue over time requires more intense, secured management regimens. Though there are add-on wings to hospitals and nursing homes dedicated to treating increased patient disability associated with Alzheimer's and dementia, such facilities can't fully address needs beyond a certain point. Seasons level-care, secured community model is designed to meet the full spectrum needs of Alzheimer's residents.

Stratford Development believes that Seasons Care Center is the start of a newer, better approach to caring for individuals and families with Alzheimer's disease. Next to a cure we hope will come soon, we're the next place to home!