http://capitalcitynurses.com/ - The Cottage’s high-end approach to assisted living is unique for a group home in this area,with extra large suites, walk-in closets, massage, fitness rooms, and a beauty salon on the premises. Care at Cottage at Curry Manor ranges from $9,500 to $12,000 per month. Contact us for more information!

1. By Rebekah Sewell
When Olney resident Jimmy Schrider
suffered a stroke last year, his wife Bar-
bara, 80, realized he would need extra care
to maintain his quality of life. She felt that
full-time homecare services would be too
costly, and that larger assisted living com-
munities didn’t seem to be the right choice
for them, either.
A social worker at her husband’s reha-
bilitation facility suggested nearby
Brookeville House in Brookeville, Md.
The couple has lived there ever since.
Family-like care
Brookeville House is a group assisted
living home — sometimes called residen-
tial adult family homes, board and care
homes, or personal care homes — for
older adults who require assistance with
various aspects of daily life, such as dress-
ing, eating, bathing, toileting and the like.
This kind of care — in a setting where
two to 10 residents live with one or more
round-the-clock caregivers — has been
seeing increasing popularity, due to the
homes’ capacity for more individualized,
and potentially more comfortable, care.
Residents of a group home live together
in a private house, which has been built or
renovated to meet their needs. Since the
atmosphere is intimate, residents often be-
come like families, which can keep them
from feeling lonely or isolated.
“They’ve become like kinfolk,” Barbara
Schrider said of the people she’s met
there. She even regularly spends time nur-
turing others.
Since she’s still independent, Barbara
often helps the staff with daily tasks like
setting up tables for events and doing her
friends’ hair. “I do everything like I would
at home,” she said.
Evelyn and George Pappas established
Brookeville House to fulfill a need when
they couldn’t find the right home for their
own relatives, given their financial require-
ments and preference to avoid the institu-
tional setting of a larger community. “I
thought, ‘I can do better. I have to do bet-
ter,’” Evelyn said.
Group homes in general are enjoying
growing popularity, and successful owners
are opening several communities just to meet
the demand. Pappas currently has two prop-
erties under the Brookeville House name,
with a third expected to open in February.
Since the Schriders moved to Brookeville
House, her husband Jimmy has received
daily help with dressing, washing and occa-
sional walking assistance from the staff.
His mood and personality have im-
proved dramatically. “It’s like he’s a new
person,” Barbara said. “He talks to people.
He does activities. Some people [when
moved out of their home] go senile.
Jimmy’s been my husband for 55 years. I
just couldn’t let him go like that.”
As in larger assisted living communities,
group homes provide varying levels of
care — ranging from hands-on personal
care to skilled nursing to memory care.
Different homes have different focuses or
specialties (such as Alzheimer’s care or
kosher or ethnic diets).
The staff at Brookeville House features
a nurse for monthly visits, licensed certi-
fied or geriatric nursing assistants, and an
in-home physical therapist, podiatrist, and
other specialists as needed. It also special-
izes in Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
Care ranges from $3,995 (shared room
and bath) to $5,995 (private room and
bath) per month.
A luxury option
Another home in Maryland took a differ-
ent approach to fit its clients’ needs. Last
year, Capital City Nurses founded the Cot-
tage at Curry Manor to serve up to eight
residents in a luxurious custom-built man-
sion on a gated estate in Bethesda, Md.
Residents enjoy highly individualized
care, with a near one-to-one ratio of staff to
residents during the day. Currently, resi-
dents require physical, but not cognitive,
daily assistance.
Most care is delivered by certified nurs-
ing assistants and medication technicians,
assisted by managers and overseen by
Group homes offer individualized care
B-2 Housing Options | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N
On the cover:
A resident of Brookeville House is visited by her grandson.
Brookeville House, in Brookeville, Md., is among the region’s
residential care homes, also referred to as group homes, that
provide meals, help with activities of daily living, and social
interaction in a small, family-like setting.
Photo courtesy of Brookville House
ASHBURN
www.facebook.com/waltonwoodseniorliving
www.Waltonwood.com
Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care
44141 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn, VA 20147
The Information Center is located on Russell Branch Pkwy.,
near the intersection of Ashburn Village Blvd. and Russell Branch Pkwy.
Just look for our white and green Waltonwood Bus!
N E W Y E A R | B E S T Y O U
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Waltonwood communities offer residents the
freedom, opportunity and encouragement to try new things.
From nightly chef specials and afternoon Lunch & Learns, to new
resident socials and fitness classes; activities and amenities are
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(571) 982-6318 See GROUP HOMES, page B-3

2. Susan Rogers, RN, founder and CEO of
Capital City Nurses.
The Cottage’s high-end approach to as-
sisted living is unique for a group home in
this area, with extra large suites, walk-in
closets, massage and fitness rooms, and a
beauty salon on the premises.
Care at the Cottage at Curry Manor
ranges from $9,500 to $12,000 per month.
In Northern Virginia
Andi Cosito operates two residential as-
sisted living homes, called Tysons Woods,
located in Vienna, Va. She founded the
communities with the memory of her
aunt’s elder care center in mind.
“I was fortunate enough to be surround-
ed by older people from a young age. I
benefited from their warmth, affection and
experience,” she said on her website.
Janet Wolfe, 91, has lived at Tysons
Woods for almost two years. She made the
move to be closer to her daughter, who
lives in Northern Virginia.
Wolfe enjoys the special “pampering”
touches offered by the female staff, and
their assistance to make it feel like home.
“They just take over whatever needs to be
done...There is always someone to come
to your rescue,” Wolfe said.
Both Tysons Woods properties feature
eight bedrooms for long-term assisted liv-
ing and end-of-life care. Residents have ac-
cess to all-inclusive care, ranging from
housekeeping and laundry to activities,
physical therapy, transportation and med-
ication management.
As at most group homes, meals are pro-
vided by culinary staff who accommodate
residents’ dietary needs. Guests typically
eat together and socialize during meals.
All-inclusive care at Tysons Woods costs
$6,500 per month.
Pros and cons to consider
One of the major benefits of a group
home assisted living community is the
flexibility it offers. Owners and managers
often cater their services to the current
residents and their situations.
For example, in a larger, more institu-
tional, community, the Schriders would
likely have been separated because they
require different levels of care. In a group
home, residents can also perform daily
tasks like laundry and cooking them-
selves, with “standby” assistance, as long
as it’s safe.
Group homes also offer a more tailored
approach, with a higher staff-to-resident
ratio. As a result, the schedule of events and
daily life are often less regimented. In a larg-
er community, “everyone is on a tight sched-
ule to get things done,” according to Pappas.
There are disadvantages to be aware of
as well, though, according to David
Besnette of the Assisted Living Directory
Blog. Concerns he raises include the fol-
lowing:
• Small, residential homes can be self-fi-
nanced, without a lot of “cushion” for lean
times.
• Local Homeowners Associations might
change their mind about having a care facil-
ity in their neighborhood.
• The home may not be equipped to
transition a resident to more involved or
skilled care.
• Staff may burn out and turn over
quickly.
For more on his concerns, see
http://bit.ly/group_home_disadvantages.
Owners who open a group home must
apply for and pass certification through
the state, and are subject to yearly certifi-
cation. Contact your local office on aging
for information about particular group
homes and their licensure.
For more information:
• Brookeville House, (301) 957-0752,
www.brookvillehouse.com
• The Cottage at Curry Manor, (301)
365-2582, http://thecottagehomes.com
• Tysons Woods, (703) 846-0395,
www.tysonswoods.com
WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options B-3
1121 Reston Ave. | Herndon, VA | GreatFallsAssistedLiving.com
Call for more information. 703-421-0690
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Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care
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“This is a … very congenial environment. We love our neighbors.”“This is a … very congenial environment. We love our neighbors.”
–B–Bririgagadidierer GGenenereralal LLeoeo BBrorookokss anandd MrMrss. NNaoaomimi BBrorookokss–B–Bririgagadidierer GGenenereralal LLeoeo BBrorookokss anandd MrMrss. NNaoaomimi BBrorookokss
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Call 703-494-3817 today.
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Coordinated Services Management, Inc. - Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981
Protecting Your Parents’
Assets: What Adult
Children Need to Know
Wednesday, January 13
6:30 - 7:30 pm free event
Elder law attorney Bill Fralin
will discuss estate planning,
implications of incapacity, spend
down rules, Veterans Benefits, and
strategies for asset protection.
Group homes
From page B-2
SENIOR CONNECTION ORIENTATION
The Senior Connection is looking for volunteers to help area sen-
iors stay independent and remain in their home. Services include driving clients to
appointments, grocery shopping, and monthly bill paying help. New volunteer train-
ings are offered every month, and volunteers can make their own schedules. The
next volunteer trainings will be Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. and Wednesday,
Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Park Senior Center, located at 3950 Ferrara Dr. in
Silver Spring, Md. For more information and to RSVP, contact volunteer@seniorcon-
nectionmc.org or call (301) 942-1049.
BEACON BITS
Jan. 13+