Lakeside Park

Lakeside Park sits in a lovely spot near Lake Merritt and is built specially for people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. The place offers memory care with trained staff and Naya caregivers available around the clock. People get support with things like transfers, dressing, bathing, medication, and even mechanical lift transfers if needed, and Lakeside Park's staff can help people who are at risk of wandering or have difficult behaviors, using secured doors and bracelets that sound alarms for safety. The property is safe for people who are likely to wander and has secured memory care areas in the building designed just for people with memory conditions. Residents get care at light to medium levels for most daily needs, and there's also short-term respite care for those recovering from surgery or needing breaks.

There are programs like Thrive Memory Care, Prema Memory Support℠, and signature offerings like Watermark University, where seniors can take classes including ones made for folks with memory loss, and the community has activities every day in a set schedule, plus lots of resident-led things to do. Residents try out activities such as art, cooking, intergenerational programs, community service, Tai Chi, stretching, Qi Gong, yoga, karaoke, and outings to local botanical gardens or the beach. EngageVR® lets residents experience virtual reality, so they can take trips like swimming with dolphins or visit their hometowns. There's a courtyard filled with flowers where folks might listen to classical music, and a vibrant garden where residents can plant or tend vegetables, making the place feel active and homelike.

The wellness center looks after physical and mental well-being with regular exercise and health programs, and a nutritionist makes sure residents get meals made by a chef who serves up international foods with special diet options like gluten-free, vegan, low sodium, or low sugar, and they serve food restaurant-style in the dining room or out in the garden if someone wants a bit of fresh air. There's a beauty salon for hair and grooming, a small library, a computer center, a gaming room, and both outdoor and indoor common areas that are wheelchair accessible. Each person gets a private, fully furnished apartment with a bathroom, air-conditioning, kitchenette, cable TV, WiFi, and housekeeping plus laundry services. The place also has a concierge, a full-time activity director, medication managers, and technicians to help with medical needs, including insulin shots and blood sugar checks.

Transportation is arranged by the community for both medical and non-medical outings, though there can be extra costs. Hospitals are within three miles for emergencies, and big cities like San Francisco are about fifteen miles away, so visiting family isn't too hard. Residents can join programs through partnerships like the one with SAGE or link up with community Resident Ambassadors to get involved. Every day, the community tries to build connection and joy through their Celebrate Often approach and Inspire program, making Lakeside Park a place where older adults can find comfort, safety, and purpose in a welcoming environment, with care and activities that keep life interesting, no matter the stage of memory loss.

Lakeside Park is managed by Watermark Retirement.

Watermark Retirement Communities is a premier senior living operator managing over 70 communities across 21 states with approximately 5,800 associates, ranked as the nation's 9th-leading senior housing operator by the American Seniors Housing Association. Founded in 1985 by David Freshwater and David Barnes as The Fountains in Tucson, Arizona, the company pioneered wellness-based senior living in collaboration with the University of Arizona Center on Aging before rebranding as Watermark in 2006. Headquartered in Tucson, Watermark became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Keppel Corporation in March 2024, following Keppel's initial 50% acquisition in 2019, with Paul Boethel succeeding the founders as CEO while Freshwater continues as Chairman Emeritus.

The company's signature Watermark University is an award-winning intergenerational learning program where residents, associates, family members, and local experts—including museum curators, university professors, and world-renowned doctors—teach dozens of classes ranging from watercolor painting and ballroom dancing to language learning and sculpture workshops. Named among Fortune's Top 25 Best Workplaces for Aging Services™ by the Great Place to Work® Institute, Watermark provides comprehensive training through programs like GO (General Orientation) Ripples, Leadership by Design workshops, and specialized sales systems focused on understanding buyer motivations and customer service excellence.

Watermark's innovative Prema Memory Support℠ program features Naya caregivers—named after the Sanskrit word for "guide" or "person of wisdom"—who are Certified Dementia Practitioners trained through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. The Thrive Memory Care experience includes secure courtyards, multi-sensory environments with fresh flowers, music therapy, and sensory gardens. Their groundbreaking Thrive Dining (Gourmet Bites) program transforms nutritious meals into attractive, bite-sized portions that residents can enjoy independently without utensils. The Dementia Awareness Experience uses virtual simulations including impairment gloves and vision-loss glasses to help associates develop deeper empathy and understanding.

The company leads the industry in technology innovation with EngageVR, a virtual reality program using Oculus Quest headsets that enables residents to travel virtually to the pyramids of Egypt, swim with whales, or reconnect with veterans from their battalions in virtual living rooms. The 360Well wellness program integrates four key circles—mind, body, spirit, and community—to promote holistic health and independence. Through partnerships with the University of Arizona's Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute and Curana Health for value-based care delivery in Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania, Watermark continues advancing senior care research and innovation.

Following a "shrinking to grow" strategy under new leadership, Watermark focuses on operating premium communities while maintaining its founding philosophy that they are "a wellness company that happens to provide housing and services for seniors," committed to creating experiences where residents truly feel at home with purpose, possibility, and joy.