Nannie's Inn

Nannie's Inn is an assisted living community with six beds, set on Spring Street in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in a home-style setting that replaces long corridors and large dining halls with the scale of a family household. Living alongside only a handful of neighbors means the days are shaped by the people who live there, and the whole place can be taken in at a glance from the front door. The community sits in a residential part of West Bloomfield, on a street of single family houses rather than beside a commercial district.

Furnished bedrooms each include a telephone, and the home offers both private rooms and shared rooms, so a family can talk through which arrangement suits their relative and ask which one is open at the time of a move. Wheelchair accessible parking makes arrivals easier for visitors who use mobility aids, and the entrance is simple to reach from the driveway. Meals are served in a dining room on a scheduled basis, and all-day dining means a resident who misses a meal can still find something to eat later.

The kitchen can prepare gluten-free, diabetic and allergy-sensitive diets when a resident needs them, which lets people with those needs share the same table as everyone else. Eating together gives each day a familiar rhythm of morning, midday and evening that many people miss after leaving a family home of their own. Caregivers provide twenty-four hour supervision and help with the everyday tasks of bathing, dressing, moving safely between bed and chair and managing medications.

The community can also care for people who are not able to walk on their own, and the staff coordinate with outside health care providers so that appointments and follow-up needs fit into the daily routine instead of interrupting it. An emergency alert system gives residents a simple way to call for help at any hour. Housekeeping and laundry are part of the household, which leaves residents free to spend their time on things they enjoy rather than on chores.

Scheduled daily activities, movie nights and community events give the week some structure, and the small size of the group means gatherings in the living areas can follow the interests of whoever lives there at the time. Transportation is arranged for medical appointments and local outings, so a doctor visit or a change of scenery does not depend on a family member rearranging a workday. West Bloomfield is an Oakland County community known for its lakes and residential streets, and the home is a short drive from the places that daily life tends to require.

Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital is about 3.5 miles from the home, and Trinity Health Oakland Hospital is about 5 miles away for families who want a second option for emergency care. Pharmacies, grocery stores and restaurants are available along the main roads of the surrounding area. Families who live nearby can stop in for dinner or a weekend visit, and because there is no large lobby or front desk between a visitor and a loved one, a conversation at the dining table or in the living room can happen as naturally as in any house on the street.

Neighbors on a quiet residential block also tend to mean less traffic noise and a calmer setting for people who find larger buildings tiring. A household of six is a different experience from a large building, and the character of that household shows in how caregivers and residents speak with one another. Visiting around a meal or an afternoon activity gives a sense of the pace of the day, the layout of the rooms and the way meals and activities bring everyone together. Current rates, room availability and the level of help each person receives come from the community directly.