Diamond Willow Assisted Living & Memory Care has several small, home-like communities across Minnesota, with one called Diamond Willow Assisted Living of Proctor in Duluth, and another at Lester Park surrounded by the park in Duluth, plus locations in cities like Cloquet, Grand Rapids, Detroit Lakes, Little Falls, Park Rapids, and Mountain Iron, and these places are all designed to help seniors, especially those needing assisted living or memory care for dementia and Alzheimer's. Each location only houses 8 to 16 residents, which makes things feel calm and personal, and all the buildings have secure areas and things like the WanderGuard Safety Monitoring System to keep people safe, especially those who might wander from memory loss.
At Diamond Willow, staff help with daily needs like bathing, dressing, and giving medicine, and they also make sure residents always have help nearby, with a 1 to 5 staff-to-resident ratio during the day, and staff awake overnight too, so someone's always around when needed. The care teams work with every resident and their families on a care plan that can change as each person's needs change, and they try to keep the same living situation as care needs increase, so moving is kept to a minimum.
For memory care, there are special programs to help with Alzheimer's and other memory problems, with activities geared toward keeping the mind busy and helping people enjoy the day. Diamond Willow has full-time activity directors who set up things like crafts, baking, worship services, and trips around town, and they encourage residents to get involved, meet others, and have a good time. There are safe courtyards outside, indoor common spaces, spaces for gatherings, and weekly salon services so residents can still get their hair done or enjoy a bit of pampering.
Each day, chefs provide three meals and snacks, and they watch for special diets, like puree or mechanical soft foods or thickened liquids when swallowing is an issue, and staff help with feeding if someone needs it. Residents can have cats or dogs, and buildings come with Wi-Fi, cable TV, and virtual visit options.
Diamond Willow's suites have names like Stillwell Suites, VitaCare Living, Eagle Pine Suites, Lester River Suites, and more, and buildings include different sections like Proctor, Lester Park, and the others, each with their own charm. The focus always remains on safety and comfort, giving each resident the chance to be as independent as possible but always having help close by. The locations sit close to hospitals and doctors for quick access, and staff can help with things like diabetes and incontinence care, and work with people who have trouble moving.
Residents get meaningful activities every day, both indoors and outdoors, including crafts, games, and time in nature or the community, and devotional services are available on site. The goal at Diamond Willow is to help seniors stay active, connected, safe, and comfortable as they get older, thanks to small, friendly settings and staff who pay attention to the little things.
