What levels of care does this community offer?

Story Cottage Living offers assisted living and memory care.

Are there photos of this home?

There are 22 photos of Story Cottage Living on Mirador.

What is Story Cottage Living's address?

The full address for this community is 13633 Carey Rd, Carmel, IN, 46033.

Does this community offer respite care?

Yes, Story Cottage Living offers respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

Story Cottage Living

Overall sentiment across the reviews is overwhelmingly positive, portraying Story Cottage Living as a small, intimate memory-care residence where individualized attention and a home-like atmosphere are central strengths. Multiple reviewers highlight that the facility’s low resident-to-caregiver ratio (noted repeatedly as a 10-resident capacity) results in attentive, compassionate, and competent caregivers who genuinely know residents and their stories. The care is described as excellent, top-tier, and life-changing for some families, with many reviewers strongly recommending the community.

Staff and management receive consistent praise. Caregivers are characterized as kind, trustworthy, and reliable, and reviewers repeatedly note the emotional connection and mutual enjoyment between staff and residents. Management is singled out for going above and beyond—one reviewer specifically named manager Kristen for personalized touches such as individualized gifts for residents—while HR and leadership are described as knowing residents’ stories and investing in personal relationships. This all contributes to a sense of safety, comfort, and family orientation within the home.

The physical environment and daily life aspects are also highlighted positively. Multiple comments mention a beautiful, well-designed house with comfortable common areas and strong cleanliness standards. Reviewers praise the dining—meals are described as delicious—and the variety of activities, including special seasonal events like a Christmas party with carolers, treats, and hot chocolate. The programming is seen as inclusive and engaging, with residents appearing to thrive socially and emotionally in this intimate setting rather than in a more institutional memory unit.

Despite the many strengths, a few concerns appear in the summaries. One recurring negative is mention of communication and pay issues—details are sparse, but they are flagged across reviews and should be explored further by prospective families. The small 10-resident capacity, while repeatedly praised for enabling individualized care, may also be a drawback for those looking for a larger social environment with more residents and programming diversity. Additionally, reviewers note that Story Cottage Living is not a typical dementia unit; it uses a non-traditional, home-style memory care model that may not match every family’s expectations or needs.

In summary, these reviews portray Story Cottage Living as an intimate, well-run memory care home with exceptional staff, high-quality individualized care, a warm and home-like environment, strong management engagement, appealing meals, and meaningful activities. The principal caveats to investigate further are the specific communication/pay issues mentioned and whether the small-scale, non-institutional model matches a particular resident’s clinical and social needs. Prospective residents and families should consider touring the home, meeting staff (including management), and asking targeted questions about communication practices, staffing/pay policies, and how the program addresses more advanced or specialized dementia needs to ensure the fit is right.

Story Cottage Living provides memory care for people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and what makes these homes stand out is how small and quiet they are, because each house only has 8 to 10 residents, and you'll notice that most everything inside is set up to keep things clear and simple-like the special closets with just two clothing options so choosing something to wear doesn't become confusing. Caregivers are available around the clock, with a caregiver-to-resident ratio as low as 3-to-1 some days, and at their dedicated Carey Grove location in Carmel it's 4-to-1, meaning each person gets attention and support, and nurses and other medical professionals visit a couple of times a week to check on residents and lend a hand when needed, while Senior Home Companions play a major part in supporting everyone there, since they've been caring for seniors for over 30 years. Each house features fully furnished private bedrooms-though families can bring familiar furniture if that's helpful-and rooms include special safety features and bathroom designs that try to prevent falls or slips, while all doors stay secure with passcodes and there are systems to keep track of where everyone is, so folks don't wander off.

These homes feel less like a big facility and more like a quiet, peaceful house, so families tend to feel at ease knowing their loved one's in a setting where people know each other well, and there's a nice big living room, a sunroom that closes off for family visits, a library that also works as a nurse's station, and a patio where folks can get some fresh air, or maybe sit together in the salon area. Meals come from a dedicated chef, who prepares tasty and healthy dishes, and every day, the staff tries to keep everyone engaged with activities that feel personal and enjoyable, since the team gets to know each resident really well.

Because of the way the houses are built, with only a handful of residents and a staff trained to work with those living with memory loss, routines stay predictable and comforting, which helps to limit confusion or distress, and the whole place tries to be as much like home as possible-whether that means letting people bring furniture from home or having gathering spaces that families can close off when they come to visit. Story Cottage Living runs several locations around Indianapolis, Carmel, West Clay, and Williams Creek, and besides the care they give, they've got resources for families too, like a decision toolkit, a blog and video library about dementia care, and a virtual tour so people can look around before deciding, and their homes stand in nice quiet neighborhoods, so there's a sense of peace and safety throughout the day. The staff, including a dedicated house manager with nursing experience, builds real relationships with residents, gives care that fits each person, and offers safety and help for families looking for a small and predictable memory care setting.

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