Orchards Health Center Names New Director of Assisted Living

Amy T. Cole has joined The Orchards Health Center in Rancho Mission Viejo, California, as director of assisted living. Cole will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day care of the new health center’s assisted living and memory care residents.

Cole joins The Orchards with more than 10 years of experience working in diverse health care environments, including assisted living and independent living communities. She also worked in urgent care and hospital settings.

In her new position, Cole will be responsible for supervising the licensed nurses, medication assistants and caregivers. She will also provide assessments of the residents’ needs and establish appropriate care plans for them as well as oversight of their daily living activities. In addition, she will develop and maintain clinical programs which adhere to state, federal and company laws, regulations and guidelines.

Kelly Conk, administrator for The Orchards, said “Throughout her professional career, Amy has demonstrated a strong commitment to quality resident care and to ensuring the safety of all residents and staff members. She also brings excellent interpersonal skills – critical to communicating effectively with residents and their families – and offers extensive experience with diverse resident communities. Most importantly, she has a passion for working with seniors and achieving maximum resident satisfaction.”

After graduating from nursing school in North Hollywood, California, Cole earned her license as a vocational nurse from the California Board of Vocational Nursing. She is also a licensed administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly and has particular expertise in memory impairment, clinical assessment, medications and wound care. Cole is a resident of Irvine, California.

The Orchards is on track to open its assisted living and memory care community in October. The community is now accepting refundable deposits for assisted living and memory care as part of its Harvest Club. Early depositors will have first choice of apartment units and a rate lock until 2023.

The Orchards will feature a two-story, grand living room with a fireplace, media room, intergenerational Family Fun Zone, private dining room for family celebrations, library, conference room, fitness center and restaurant-style dining. Outdoor amenities include private courtyards for each level of care, putting green and numerous water features. WiFi will be available throughout the entire building.

Full-time wellness nurses, trained caregivers and medication technicians will be on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Due to COVID-19, the new community will have a single point of entry for staff to ensure the health and safety of both residents and employees. All staff will follow strict health and safety measures according to CDC, state and local guidelines.

A separate, single point of entry for all visitors, family members and vendors will also be provided as an additional safety measure.

The Gardens memory care neighborhood will offer private rooms with programs designed to meet the needs of residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Outside amenities include a garden and a courtyard with televisions as well as an indoor family lounge for quiet time.

The Orchards is located at 1 Amistad Dr. in Rancho Mission Viejo. For more information, please call 949-545-2260 or go to www.visitorchards.com.