"We have promised ourselves that we shall always treat our residents as we would our own loved ones. Nothing less than our best will do."
This is a simple promise that the staff at Oswego Springs- and throughout Emeritus Senior Living communities- has shared since our Portland, Oregon assisted living community first opened its doors. It's a simple promise to be compassionate and kind, understanding and respectful- a promise to become extended family to the seniors entrusted in our care and to our retirees who have chosen our community for its active lifestyle.
The Perfect Location
Oswego Springs is located in a quiet residential neighborhood next to Portland Community College at Sylvania College. We are surrounded by a wooded area, yet many stores and businesses are close at hand. With easy access to I-5 from the Barber Exit, we are also just minutes from Portland’s International Rose Test Garden, quaint historic districts, entertainment, fine dining and numerous hospitals, including Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) Two skilled nursing facilities – the Pearl at Cruise Way and Marquis Care at Vermont Hills – are also close by. Our ideal setting allows residents to enjoy all the advantages of city living – yet feel as if they are in the country.
With easy access to I-5, we can get into downtown Portland in just seven minutes. From attending performances of the Nutcracker to wandering the paved pathways at the Portland International Rose Test Garden to visiting local museums and taking scenic drives through Washington Park, we do as much as possible to take advantage of all that this wonderful city has to offer. We also take residents on outings beyond city limits, including to the Tulip Festival in Wilsonville, to Spirit Mountain Casino and to spectacular Multnomah Falls, less than an hour’s drive from our senior living community.
A Wonderful Selection
Our three-story assisted living community offers a total of 68 senior apartments, including standard 600-square-feet one bedrooms, 704-square-feet one bedroom deluxe units and 1,000-square-feet two-bedroom, two bath apartments. All apartments have spacious nine-foot ceilings, which lend a feeling of elegance, as well as windows looking out onto the surrounding woods. Some also offer vaulted ceilings. Each senior apartment has a kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator, freezer and microwave, and extremely spacious wheelchair-accessible bathrooms with room for storage and huge showers with no lip for easy entry and exit. All apartments have emergency call systems in each room. And there are also small details – like concealed handrails with moldings – much like you’d find in a five-star hotel.
Our beautifully appointed cozy living room/library on our third floor is the perfect place to watch movies, relax with family or join another resident for a card game. We also have a Coca-cola Room, used for all kinds of social activities, from our weekly Saturday ice cream socials to bridge and pinochle games. It’s reminiscent of the 1950s, complete with a soda fountain, Wurlitzer Jukebox that plays old-time favorites and of course, a popcorn machine. Our families are welcome to reserve the room for private parties or family reunions. One of our resident’s granddaughter recently celebrated her 10th birthday here! There’s a full kitchen, where residents are welcome to make dinner for their families or bake a batch of cookies. Our lovely mezzanine has a balcony, which overlooks the dining room and floods the lobby area with natural light. It has a pool table, exercise equipment and plenty of space for our Wednesday lectures. We also have a private bath with a hot tub that residents can reserve, as well as an outside patio area, where we join together for summer barbeques and our annual carnival. Our beautiful flower and vegetable garden is available to those of our residents who love to garden.
Strong, Caring Professional Relationships
We work with many local physical, occupational and speech therapist and can recommend a specific provider if needed. Therapists will provide services right here, in the convenience of the resident’s home. Should a resident need more intensive help, for example, after having been discharged from a hospital, we can also arrange to bring in home health nursing services – or hospice care as needed. Of course, residents are welcome to use the same healthcare providers with whom they have relied upon in the past.
Our Staff
Our Community Relations Director’s own mom lives here at Oswego Springs. As she says, “My mom loves the staff. She wants to adopt them all as her daughters.” One of our staff members brings in cookies that she bakes at home, along with several videos from her extensive collection, to share with residents. The simple fact is, our group of caregivers are not only exceptionally experienced, but they love and choose to work with seniors. We also conduct ongoing training, including regular “in-services” on many senior-related topics, such as diabetes, resident rights, safety and even such simple topics as how to communicate with seniors in a non-condescending manner. Our community employees a Registered Nurse, along with three medication aids, who administer medications and actually stay by the resident’s side to be sure they take their meds. Our full-time activities director is just one of our many staff members who have been here for several years.