When we are growing up, our Mom is an important part of our life. We are fully dependent upon her for our very life, sustenance, care and love. As we grow, we become more independent, needing less care and advice, although Mom still offers it.
As we grow into our independence, she gradually steps back, offering support when needed and watching proudly from the sidelines. The one constant—her love for us is unconditional.
But one day, the roles reverse. Mom needs us, and suddenly we need to be the one that is protective, nurturing, sacrificial and intuitive. Just like that, we’re faced with one of life’s most emotional—and important—decisions: how do we protect Mom’s dignity, purpose and joy in this next chapter?
So the search begins, but all you find is communities that are expensive and overbuilt with restrictive rules and a mindset focused on an industry standard, not people.
As someone with decades of experience in senior living, I thought I had the answer to finding the right community for Mom’s next chapter. But when I asked my own mother if she’d move into one of my communities, her reply stunned me: “No, it’s like living in senior prison!”
Not the answer I was expecting.
When I asked her to elaborate, Mom stated, “It is simple, they won’t let me do what I want when I want to do it. They won’t let me go where I want, when I want to go. They will force me to eat on their schedule, when all I want to do is have a yogurt and a protein shake around 10 a.m., eat lunch when I want, and maybe have ice cream for dinner if I choose.”
Mom’s harsh, but honest words echoed a truth I’ve seen time and again: today’s senior living communities often prioritize operational efficiency over personal freedom.
I needed to do something different, something creative. So I met with a colleague Bruce Hentges over a burger and a beer at an industry conference and found that he had a similar experience with his Mom’s journey through memory care. “We did everything wrong,” he said. “The community was not set up to care for my Mom the way she wanted to live.”
What if, instead, we did it differently? What if we truly listened to Mom?
Elevate Senior Living was born from that single, powerful insight. Elevate is a senior living community designed not around industry standards, but around real lives.
A Better Option for Families & A Smarter Model for the Industry
Whether you're a family seeking the best for your loved one or an industry professional looking to redefine what’s possible, Elevate offers a refreshing alternative to the status quo.
We don't herd residents into routines or force participation in activities that don’t resonate. Instead, we honor choice. Residents wake up when they want. They dine when, where, and how they choose.
Designed with Purpose & Priced with Integrity
Too often, families face heartbreaking trade-offs between quality and affordability. At Elevate at Clearwater, they don’t have to. Our smart, efficient design—featuring a 96-bed Assisted Living and Memory Care model with adjacent Independent Living cottages—delivers a full continuum of care in a sophisticated setting without the inflated cost.
We offer care that costs $1,000 less per month than the top-tier providers in the market—without sacrificing warmth, quality, or service. And it’s working: demand is high, projections are exceeded, and our message is resonating.
Because we listened to Mom, the lifestyle we offer at Elevate is far exceeding our projections. While we still have more communities to build, we guarantee every single one will honor Mom. If you’re exploring senior living options, know this: at Elevate, your loved one isn’t a unit to fill or a room to manage. We value them as a person with preferences, routines and a life story worth honoring.
The best advice I can give to everyone in the industry—you can make a difference too. Just listen to Mom one more time.
