Welcome Ms. Dale C. Carter, HFA, as Executive Director

Dale Carter Executive DirectorSeptember 30, 2013 – (Mishawaka, IN) North Woods Village at Edison Lakes, Michiana’s first stand-alone memory care assisted living community, announced today the appointment of Ms. Dale C. Carter, HFA, as its Executive Director. The founder of Transition Aging Parents, South Bend, IN, Ms. Carter is a recognized expert and popular speaker on aging topics and is the author of “Transitioning Your Aging Parent: A 5 Step Guide Through Crisis & Change.”

In announcing her appointment, Dane Slabaugh, President of True North Group, LLC, the local development partnership behind the project, said, “We are delighted to add an individual of Dale’s caliber to our outstanding team of professionals. Her expertise, experience and research in the field of aging and caregiving make her ideal for the position of Executive Director. She also values the importance of developing high quality relationships with our residents, their families, referral partners and members of the surrounding community. I personally look forward to working with Dale as we begin our mission of compassionate, leading-edge memory care services for the region beginning the first of the new year.”

Ms. Carter, who is a licensed Healthcare Facility Administrator (HFA), received her Master’s degree from Indiana University and her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics Education from North Carolina State University. In addition to owning her own aging-related company, she has delivered numerous presentations on pertinent senior issues at forums such as the national “Aging in America” conference in Washington, DC, and has been an advocate for healthy aging and effective caregiving. Active in the community, she is a member of the Gerontology Consortium of Michiana and is a past board member of Bridge of Hope St. Joseph County.

Commenting on her appointment as Executive Director, Ms. Carter stated, “I am honored to have the opportunity to join the North Woods Village at Edison Lakes family and to serve the residents and their families. It is a beautiful, progressive community, and I am looking forward to working closely with our caregiver team to create a national model for the best in memory care living today.”

Locally owned and operated, North Woods Village at Edison Lakes broke ground earlier this year at 1409 East Day Road in Mishawaka to create a state-of-the-art community that will be the first stand-alone memory care assisted living community designed specifically for those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The purposeful architectural design of North Woods Village at Edison Lakes is one element of “New Directions,” the community’s signature memory care program. Two other key elements of the program are the professionally trained memory care staff and resident-centered care.

Each neighborhood will provide residents with a familiar and individualized environment that promotes independence and allows for individually focused care. The neighborhoods will include private resident suites, a Country Kitchen, a sunroom, large living room and patio. They will also feature consistent, specially trained staff, enabling residents to get to know the people who work in their neighborhood.

The community will also offer a secure, outdoor courtyard with raised flower and vegetable gardens, seating areas, walking paths with shaded seating and a gazebo. Interior amenities include a community room, a family lounge, a beauty salon/barber shop, a day spa, video conferencing for virtual visits, a wellness center with on-site physician offices and a chapel.