Creekside Place

Creekside Cottage is a small, home-like assisted living residence in Petaluma, California, specializing in care for residents living with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other forms of dementia. Alongside its sister home, Creekside Place, the two facilities sit side by side along Washington Creek and are each licensed for 6 residents, offering a personal, intimate setting rather than a larger-scale institutional environment.

Founded by the Sturgeon family in 2011, Creekside Cottage has focused on developing caregiving techniques and building a compassionate, respectful team over the years. The caregiving staff is trained in the Positive Approach to Care program, developed by occupational therapist Teepa Snow, which helps caregivers better understand and respond to the cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, Parkinson's, and related conditions. The community emphasizes individualized care plans that aim to maintain each resident's dignity as their condition progresses.

In addition to memory care, Creekside Cottage provides hospice and respite care, working collaboratively with local hospice agencies to create individualized plans for residents needing palliative support. These plans can include special diets, pain management, emotional support, and holistic approaches such as aromatherapy, music, and gentle massage.

Daily life includes activities such as art, music, restorative walking in the garden and neighborhood (with chaperones for more able residents), daily exercise focused on mobility and muscle use, word games, and a book club. Meals are home cooked, with an emphasis on local farm sourcing, menus feature organic produce from Rusty Hinges Ranch CSA and seasonal dishes such as fall soups, winter casseroles, spring pasta, and summer smoothies.

Creekside Cottage places strong emphasis on communication among family members, primary care physicians, and the caregiving team, viewing this collaboration as key to resident wellbeing and reduced stress for families navigating placement decisions. The community also offers a support group, currently meeting via Zoom, for those caring for loved ones experiencing cognitive change.