“When people think about ‘care’ in a senior living in Tacoma, WA, they often picture medicine, charts, and compliance checklists. But true care—the kind that restores hope—goes far beyond that,” Jen Drake, Director of Business Development, Cascade Senior Living Services.
It’s the moment when someone rediscovers purpose, laughter, and belonging after years of being told they were “too hard to help.”
At Cascade Senior Living Services (CSLS), that’s the heartbeat behind how we reframe care.
Learn More About Our Living OptionsHow Is Senior Living Shifting From Facilities to Living Communities
Traditional senior living has long been defined by what it can’t do:
“We can’t manage that diagnosis.”
“We can’t handle those behaviors.”
“We can’t keep them here anymore.”
We decided to replace “can’t” with “how.”
Over the last five years, we’ve transformed our communities into true aging-in-place ecosystems—integrating medical, behavioral, and emotional supports that meet residents where they are. We’re no longer a halfway stop before a hospital stay. We’re the destination where people get to keep living fully, safely, and with dignity.
Our behavioral-health revolution
Five years ago, we asked a bold question: Why can’t a memory-care community also support behavioral-health needs?
What began as a pilot has become a statewide model. Cascade Park Gardens is now the only successful memory-care community in Washington operating a behavioral-health contract within a licensed assisted-living setting. We partner with hospitals across the state to transition individuals who otherwise would remain institutionalized indefinitely.
The results speak for themselves:
- Residents once labeled “unplaceable” are thriving.
- Psychiatric hospitalizations have plummeted.
- Powerful medications have been reduced or eliminated under clinical supervision.
Behind those metrics are human stories worth telling.
Mrs. B’s second chance
When we first met Mrs. B, she had been left with nowhere to go. After years of family conflict, she felt discarded—literally dropped at a hospital with nothing but despair. When our admissions team heard her story, we saw not a “case,” but a person who deserved to be loved back to life.
Within weeks of moving in, Mrs. B was smiling again. She joined activities, helped other residents, and started calling us her family. Today, she tells anyone who’ll listen that she got her second chance at life right here.
The cowboy who found his voice
Then there’s our cowboy from Montana—a former ranch cook who once managed a million-acre cattle operation. When dementia and mental-health challenges overtook his life, he was institutionalized for years, non-verbal and forgotten. No one would take him—until we did.
At Cascade Park Gardens, surrounded by staff who treated him like kin, he started to speak again. Before long, he was cooking for staff, hosting “kitchen shows,” and sharing stories of the open range. That’s not just care. That’s resurrection.
6th Avenue Senior Living – A Beacon of Hope
At 6th Avenue Senior Living, we serve residents facing complex mental-health diagnoses. We’ve reframed care here by adding a dedicated social worker, expanding staff training, and weaving in mental-health clinicians as part of daily life. The result: residents who are well-groomed, connected, and genuinely happy. Psychiatric hospitalizations have dropped sharply.
When people feel safe and respected, healing follows.
Research indicates that fostering these supportive, non-judgmental environments significantly improves patient engagement and long-term health outcomes (Menschner & Maul, 2016). By prioritizing dignity and psychological security, we move beyond simply managing symptoms and begin treating the whole person.
More than coverage—a life of purpose
Across our five communities, serving more than 600 residents, we’ve proven that Medicaid-supported care can be exceptional care. By combining clinical precision with heart, we’ve:
- Reduced hospitalizations and falls.
- Extended average lengths of stay.
- Improved emotional well-being and family satisfaction.
Our residents aren’t “patients.” They’re poets, veterans, mothers, cooks, teachers—people still writing their stories.
Because Every Life Deserves a Full Chapter
This is what reframing care looks like: replacing the sterile lens of coverage with the vibrant picture of quality of life. When hospitals call us now, they know they’re not just finding a bed—they’re finding a home.
At Cascade Senior Living Services, we’ll keep redefining what senior living can be: a place where second chances happen daily, and where aging means living well, with heart. Ready to experience a different kind of care? Join a community that prioritizes your loved one’s dignity and growth. Whether you are looking for immediate support or planning for the future, we are here to help you navigate the journey.
- Visit us online: www.cascadecares.com
- Speak with a care expert: (253) 364-5107
