Villa Alamar is a locally owned memory care community on Santa Barbara's Upper East Side. The building is designed for seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia, with open pathways, beautiful courtyards, and features to help residents explore safely indoors and outdoors, and the calm and caring environment has soothing sights and smells which greet you at the lobby, which is rare in most places. Villa Alamar accepts adults age 55 and over, welcomes some pets, and allows pet-therapy visits with dogs brought by staff and volunteers, which brings a little comfort to everyone. The state of California licenses the community for up to 43 residents, who can choose private or semi-private furnished rooms, and there's Wi-Fi throughout so families can stay connected easily. The community has a strong focus on dignity, comfort, and engaging daily life, with social events, resident-run activities, arts and crafts, movie nights, music therapy, scheduled trips, beach walks, and a Life Enrichment Program to keep spirits high and minds active.
The staff at Villa Alamar are trained to help with memory care, including Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, medication management, symptom monitoring, and incontinence support, plus non-ambulatory and diabetic care, all with a 24-hour emergency call system so people always have help if needed. Staff members, many of whom have worked there for years and even had their own children join the team over time, provide support with bathing, dressing, eating, and personal hygiene. There's a Resident Services Department, with a director overseeing health and wellness, a Community Services Director who knows dementia care, and a management team including an Executive Director and Associate Executive Director, all watching over day-to-day operations and making sure care plans and medical appointments fit each person's needs. The staff also works closely with families and doctors to detect health changes and offer proper care.
Residents get three chef-prepared meals daily, with options for special diets like diabetic or allergy-sensitive meals, and there's always a nutritious selection intended for both taste and good health. The dining room is set up for social gathering and restaurant-style service, and snacks are available, too. Villa Alamar handles housekeeping, laundry, linens, move-in help, and scheduled transportation for errands or doctor's visits, all as part of their all-inclusive care model. There are on-site amenities like a beauty salon for hair care and podiatry, a library including resources in English and Spanish about dementia and memory loss, lounges with large TVs, and gardens and walking paths for getting outside or visiting with family. The community is wheelchair accessible throughout, and safety features like the emergency alert system are always in place.
Some people stay briefly for respite care, while others live long-term. Villa Alamar is known for keeping residents safe while letting them stay engaged, creative, and curious, with programs that reduce fall risk and keep people active, and they offer support for hospice care when needed. The neighborhood has nearby healthcare, including the Rehabilitation Institute at Santa Barbara and MedCenter, so getting more care is straightforward if the need comes. Villa Alamar doesn't depend on outside owners-local people have managed it since 2018 and keep it independent. The community is recognized for having kind, attentive staff and a homey atmosphere that values each resident's individuality, dignity, and quality of life.
