Iris Memory Care of NW Oklahoma City serves seniors living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in a home-like setting, where the staff show love and dedication and get to know both residents and their families, and you can really tell they care about everyone here. The place opened under Iris Senior Living in 2015, and it has taken care to design the whole community to feel comfortable and safe for those with memory loss, so you'll find things like hardwood-style floors to help prevent falls, calming wall colors, emergency safety systems, and secure outdoor courtyards where residents can walk and relax, along with shaded porches and a cozy game and activity room for spending time together, and it all feels less like a medical facility and more like a big, friendly house. The staff, including nurses, LPNs, and a medical director who might be a doctor or nurse practitioner, are around 24/7 for support, and they're used to helping folks who wander, have trouble with aggressive or unusual behaviors, or need reminders for things like using the restroom or taking their medicine, and the property has secured doors and a computer system that notifies staff when a resident tries to leave a safe area, which helps keep everyone from getting lost, which is a real problem for a lot of people with memory problems.
The folks here also offer help with everyday needs like bathing, dressing, grooming, moving around, and eating, and they're happy to help with giving insulin shots or checking blood sugar levels when that's needed, and there's also housekeeping, laundry, and whatever help someone might need throughout the day and night, because it's open around the clock and doesn't shut down for visits either, so families can come nearly any time after the first two weeks. You'll see plenty of activities for residents, from art, gardening, and walks to music, games, and spiritual services both on and off site, and there are outings, therapy visits from pets, programs with younger people, and even a beautician service for haircuts and such. There's a game and activity room, life safety systems, wheelchair-accessible showers and tubs, and suites that offer privacy-plus room service and special meal plans, including for low-sugar or low-salt diets, and you'll sometimes smell good home cooking since meals are made on-site.
People with pets might be allowed to bring cats or dogs, and if someone needs hospice or respite care, or is staying short-term, the staff make room for that, too, even if the person needs a lot of support and wants to stay through aging in place, and the nurses bring in visiting health professionals like podiatrists and therapists, so folks don't have to leave for appointments unless they want to. The Facebook page posts daily pictures, and the staff keep families updated if there are concerns or changes, which gives a little peace of mind to people who can't visit every day. Above all, the focus here stays on dignity, comfort, personal attention, and joy in the small things, because the staff aim to bring meaning and companionship even when memory fades, and the teamwork you see in the building rubs off on everyone, making the place feel a little warmer and a little more like home, with familiar sights, gentle sounds, and those homey aromas that put folks at ease.
