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Memory care building construction underway Architect's rendering of The Village at Valley View, a residential memory care center near the intersection of Highway 99 and Valley View Drive just north of Ashland. Courtesy image Friday Oct 7, 2016 at 7:43 PM Oct 7, 2016 at 7:43 PM Local report Construction is in full swing for the new memory care facility on Highway 99 next to Lithia Springs Inn in Ashland. The 48-resident capacity Village at Valley View will be the largest freestanding residential memory care center project in Southern Oregon, according to its developers. “It will be different than most of what has been built in the United States," said partner Barry Thalden, a retired architect and local Ashland resident, who oversaw the design. The partners, including Lloyd Mathew Haines, Larry McLennan, David Landry, Kathryn Thalden, the Chmelir family, and Dean & Chris DeBaun, agreed that the exterior should look more like a village of Ashland-style homes, reflecting the comfort of a house rather than an institution.  Inside the building will be three distinctly separate "homes." Each will have its own central living, dining, kitchen and den with broad windows and access to a private outdoor garden. This home-like environment has been found to be beneficial to those with memory care issues. Unlike an institutional nursing home environment, rooms will surround the central home-like living and activity areas, rather than coming off hospital-like corridors.  There will be a choice of private rooms or roommate accommodations, as some residents may prefer to not be alone. The development will also allow couples living together. When one elderly person is stricken with memory care issues and the other becomes the caretaker, the task can becomes overwhelming, but many do not want to be separated from their partner. At the Village, they can continue to live together with their loved one.  The project will also include special rooms dedicated to the health and well-being of the residents, including a nail and hair salon and a medical exam room.  Developers hope the complex will also serve as an educational opportunity for the health and well-being of the community to assist people in learning about aging gracefully and how people can deal with the memory care loss of their aging parents and spouses.  “The outdoor environment will be an integral part of the residents’ experience,” said Kathryn Thalden, retired landscape architect, who is directing the design of the outdoor environment. “Secured outdoor gardens will include walkways for strolling among the trees, shrubs and flowers. They will include raised beds for residents to participate in raising their own flowers and vegetables, as well as gazebos for residents to enjoy family events outdoors. Each house will also have a large 'back porch' with rocking chairs for just sitting in the shade and viewing the magnificent wooded hillside in the background.”  The initial building concept design was conceived by John Shoesmith of Shoesmith Cox Architects in Seattle. Shoesmith, who has a master’s degree in gerontology, specializes in the design of this type of facility. He was employed to apply his unique background and experience to help visualize this cutting-edge development.  Local aging life care specialist Ellen Waldman of Senior Options has been a consultant on the project throughout the planning process. "The valley is in desperate need for this type of facility," she said. "As our aging population continues to grow, it’s vital to provide exceptional care designed specifically for those with any type of memory issues.”  The center will be operated by Kathryn and John Chmelir, whose company, Cameo Care Management LLC, currently operates two memory care facilities in Grants Pass. Kathryn Chmelir has said that, “The facility will be open to everyone, including those who can only make Medicaid payments. Each resident regardless of their background will be provided with the same quality level of caring attention.”  John Chmelir’s company, JCS-OREGON, is also the general contractor. “The project will go up extremely rapidly, as it is on a fast track schedule. We anticipate that we will actually be open by next April,” said Bill Chmelir, project superintendent for JCS-OREGON.