Crowell House program, located one block from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA, serves seniors in a small, home-like setting, with a focus on the needs of elderly deaf residents and a capacity for up to six seniors at a time. The facility is licensed as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly by the California Department of Social Services and run by the Center on Deafness-Inland, a nonprofit organization associated with the California Home for the Adult Deaf. Staff follow detailed care plans for each person, including daily help with bathing, dressing, toileting, hygiene, and support for those needing two-person transfers or incontinence care, and they're also prepared to help with specific medical needs like insulin shots, depending on the arrangement. Three home-cooked, well-balanced meals are served each day, and staff can make special adjustments for residents with conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, with a mobile hairdresser or stylist available for personal care needs.
There's a strong emphasis on community and communication, with special language and communication supports for deaf residents, and the schedule always includes a mix of social and creative activities like music therapy, animal therapy, tabletop games, arts and crafts, movies, group exercise, and regular trips for shopping, doctor's appointments, or spiritual services. The environment is designed to reduce confusion and help prevent wandering, especially for residents who have dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Medication management happens four times daily, and staff track prescriptions, vitamins, and every medical visit. The team also handles laundry, housekeeping, making and recording doctor appointments, and can provide 24-hour awake care depending on the setup, with clear visiting hours from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays.
Residents have their choice of private or semi-private rooms in a house with six bedrooms and three shared bathrooms (one being wheelchair accessible), a four-car garage, and a guest house. The grounds offer a reading room, spa, wellness area, barber parlor, recreation rooms, yard spaces, and a place to eat and worship. Crowell House operates under a resident-first approach, follows current senior care standards, and hosts support and advocacy programs along with educational workshops for deaf and hard of hearing seniors. The nonprofit is managed by a board, with plans to add members from Riverside's local Deaf community, and all proceeds from property transactions are split, with 30% set aside mainly for future property purchases by a 501(c)(2) title holding corporation overseen by CHAD. The overall atmosphere focuses on compassion and aims to help each person maintain their independence as much as possible, and though the facility isn't fancy or large, reviews say it feels caring and safe with an overall rating of 4.5.
