MARYSVILLE — The Cottages at Marysville look forward to opening their doors in late August or early September, and while Marysville offers a number of senior care centers already, the Cottages at Marysville are unique in that they provide memory care services, according to Kim Johnson, executive director of the Cottages at Marysville.

“We specialize in serving those with memory issues by giving them a homelike setting with one-on-one attention,” Johnson said of the Cottages at Marysville, which touts a capacity for 50 residents, but will likely start with just half a dozen and grow from there. “Each cottage accommodates between nine and 12 residents, and we cater to their needs with features such as a main kitchen area from which they’re served, to make it feel more like they’re living in a home, as well as complete security. At the same time, they’re free to come and go as they please.”

Each of the four cottages — Alder, Birch, Cedar and Dogwood — contains its own kitchen and living room, as well as individual and two-person bedrooms for its residents. Each bedroom features a glass-front “memory box” outside of its door, which residents and families can fill with memorabilia, and each cottage is staffed 24/7 by two nurses each per shift.

“The activities that are part of memory care are designed to help the residents feel a sense of accomplishment,” Johnson said. “We don’t do bingo or anything that’s too challenging for them to recall. We allow them to live in the moment, whatever that moment might be. If they happen to be in 1948, we’ll go with that, rather than trying to correct them. Our care is geared toward their needs.”

Karen Steward, one of the nurses at the Cottages at Marysville, explained that the residents’ activities are not overly structured, so they can maintain a sense of independence, by choosing to participate as they wish.

“We engage with them personally, to create moments of joy for them,” Steward said.

“Their families are also welcome to pop in anytime,” Johnson added.

The Cottages at Marysville are located at 1216 Grove St. For more information, call 360-436-6028 or log onto www.cottagesatmarysville.com.