Tricia Medeiros is the Regional Director of The Plaza Assisted Living, which provides residential services to seniors living in Honolulu and Mililani Mauka. It caters to people who can no longer live alone but are not yet ready for a nursing home, and its motto when it comes to Hawaii senior living is: It’s not about adding years to your life, it’s about adding life to your years. She explains what that means here.
The Plaza Assisted Living consists of two communities, The Plaza at Punchbowl, located in Honolulu, and The Plaza at Mililani, located in Miliani Mauka. The Plaza communities are fully licensed assisted living facilities that offer Independent Living, Assisted Living Plus, and Memory Care levels of care. Each one is suited to the particular needs of our residents, and provides the care they need to be healthy and happy so that they enjoy their stay with us as much as possible.
Three Levels of Care
The three levels of care that we provide, in more detail, are:
- Assisted Living Plus. This setup is for residents who need physical assistance with bathing, dressing, incontinence management, and other things. The idea is that the staff will support the residents’ independent lifestyles by providing these nursing services. Also, we have a myriad of other activities in which they can participate, including hula lessons, Wii time, exercise and Tai Chi classes, and arts and crafts classes. They go on excursions, they have a lunch club, and they sing karaoke. Most residents participate in at least some activities, but we do have a few who don’t. If someone was not a socially active person in his younger years, then he probably will not turn into a social person in his later years. Residents have their individual apartments, giving them the freedom to participate in arranged activities in common areas if they so choose. This is a bit different from people living at home, who may want to be social but don’t always have the option to do so.
- Independent Living. This is similar to Assisted Living Plus, but the residents choosing this level of care probably require less attention. They might need some supervision with medication, but basically they are looking for a lifestyle where they are receiving meals, housekeeping, and help with all of the daily tasks that may be difficult for them to do alone at home. Getting this help frees them up to participate in activities that can enrich their social lives.
- Memory Care. This is designed for Alzheimer’s and dementia residents. Staff members are specially trained to handle these conditions. All activities are set up specifically for people with dementia. There is a shorter attention span among those people, and we alternate social activities and physical reminiscent-type activities so that patients can exercise both the brain and the body.
All of our communities offer a monthly rental, targeting moderate-income residents. Apartments vary in style and size and include semi-private, studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. Most of the apartments come unfurnished, as we want people to bring in their own belongings so that they can feel more at home.
Included in the cost of rent are utilities, three delicious meals each day, housekeeping, linen services, activities, and scheduled transportation. The staff at The Plaza is also able to offer an extra level of care when it comes to Hawaii senior living by providing nursing services such as bathing, dressing, medication management, personal hygiene, and incontinence care. Each of our assisted living communities is staffed 24 hours per day with licensed nurses, giving our residents the luxury of knowing that they are always going to be looked after and in good hands.
