Wild Rose Care Home

Wild Rose Care Home in Santa Rosa has two small, cozy homes, one near the Snoopy ice rink and one close to Piner High School, each handling up to 6 residents with memory issues, dementia, or Alzheimer's, and while it's licensed by the California Department of Social Services (license #496803042) and the Board of Registered Nursing (license #309242), folks will notice it feels more like a comfortable home than anything like a big institution, with an easy-to-follow floor plan, lots of natural light, and private bedrooms that each have their own half-bathrooms so people don't have to share. Mary Garcia, a registered nurse with over 30 years of medical experience and more than 20 years caring for elders, owns and manages the place herself, and she's around often to make sure everyone gets the right kind of care, especially for those living with memory loss, physical challenges, or needing hospice support. There's 24-hour staffing with awake-night staff, so someone's always nearby when help is needed, and caregivers help out with daily things like bathing, dressing, eating, getting to the toilet, moving around the house, taking medicine, and handling incontinence, all for a flat rate including help with doctor's visits and dentist trips. The garden's quite something, filled with birdfeeders, butterfly bushes, lavender, and shaded pergolas, and the walking paths have benches if someone needs a rest, with the landscape drawing birds and butterflies for everyone to watch while they relax outside. The place's kitchen, living room, and dining room are right in the center, making it easy to get around, and everyone gets access to regular home-cooked meals, snacks, and all-day dining if they've got particular needs, like allergies or diabetes-plus housekeeping, laundry, and transportation come included. There's a full-time activities coordinator keeping up a schedule of simple things to do each day, like group activities, community-sponsored events, or movie nights, and caregivers take care to make sure people stay as active and social as they want to. The staff receive yearly training for dementia, and the home's design-with its simple layout and familiar faces-is all about helping people keep their routine and feel less confused or disoriented. Wild Rose Care Home is set up for non-ambulatory people too, with an ADA-compliant shower and wheelchair-accessible rooms, making it easy for everyone to fit in comfortably. The facilities get high marks, including an A+ rating and BBB accreditation, giving some peace of mind. Residents can bring their own belongings if they want, though each room comes furnished with the basics. Move-in coordination is provided if people need help settling in. There are emergency alert systems in every room, so help's never far away. Wild Rose offers respite care as well, and has specialized care for dementia, Alzheimer's, and hospice needs. The community stays small, with less than ten people around, so everyone gets to know each other and the staff well, and the place really does feel like home, which is exactly what Mary Garcia, RN, had in mind when she started it.