With its official opening just around the corner, Oakmont of Valencia held an open house on Saturday for several hundred families looking at housing for seniors with assisted or memory care.
“We had just about 300 people RSVP to attend,” said Margie Veis, executive director of Oakmont. “I think what’s most special is that right before it was open to the public, we had our depositors. So everybody that had deposited on an apartment, we had them come early. They had a private tour, they got to meet the other depositors and we had a champagne toast welcoming them into Oakmont of Valencia.”
Tours brought people around the different amenities on the first floor, intended for residents in need of memory care, while assisted living was on the floor above. Guests could walk into different rooms and get a sense as to where they or a loved one would live if renting a space.
“What I really stress to them is that right now it’s a building, but we’re going to watch this transition from today to when we open and we’re going to be a family and a community,” Veis said.
The building will include a library, fireplaces in each room, a family dining room that could seat 25 guests, two movie theaters, an activity room and a dog park. Residents will have access to an outdoor area next to Oakmont, still currently under construction. It will include a gas station, a drug store, a coffee shop and hamburger stand.
Between now and the expected summer opening, Veis said there will not be another open house. However, prospective residents or their loved ones can still take guided tours as the last touches of construction are completed. As of Saturday, Oakmont of Valencia was filled up at 70 percent capacity.
Among those who stopped by, Newhall couple Joel and Dana Hoffman visited Oakmont as a possible home for Dana’s stepmother. Both were impressed with what they had seen compared with other senior living places that offered assisted care and memory care.
“They’re understanding of sensitive issues,” Dana said. Joel concurred, “They’ve been trained well.”
Oakmont of Valencia is located at 24070 Copper Hill Drive.
