Rakhma Joy Home

Rakhma Joy Home is an assisted living community in St. Paul, Minnesota, specializing in memory care for individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other forms of memory loss. Operating as a mission-driven non-profit, the community accepts both private pay residents and those qualifying for Medical Assistance, GRH, Elderly Waiver, CADI, TBI, and BI waivers.

Founded in 1984 by Shirley Shaw, Rakhma pioneered a residential social-model approach to memory care. Recognizing that elders with memory loss were often isolated despite needing only modest assistance, Shaw developed a home-based model featuring smaller, intimate environments with higher staff ratios. This approach has proven especially effective in minimizing behaviors associated with dementia while fostering calm and reducing fear through familiar home settings and stable staffing relationships.

The community's care philosophy centers on person-centered support that promotes choice and dignity while adapting to each individual's unique needs. Residents participate in meaningful daily activities such as watering plants, peeling potatoes, and folding towels to increase their sense of purpose. The model emphasizes a holistic approach that includes residents, families, and the broader community.

Rakhma's success with its residential social-model framework led to the opening of additional homes and the publication of The Rakhma Story, which documented the model for wider adoption. Today, hundreds of residential social models exist across Minnesota, many inspired by Rakhma's pioneering approach. The community has received support through the State of Minnesota's Living Well at Home program to fund facility improvements and program enhancements.