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What a Memory Care Home Actually Looks Like
Posted on: By Diane Kohan
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Article Summary
Most memory care communities in Indianapolis feel institutional because they are built like one. Story Cottage takes a different path: a real home in a real neighborhood, with 8 to 12 residents, embedded safety, and a design built around the question every family is really asking, "Would I want to live here?"
Why do so many families leave a memory care tour feeling uneasy?
If you have been touring memory care communities in Indianapolis and driving away with a hollow feeling, you are not alone. Most families researching memory care for the first time describe the exact same experience.
You tour a community. You are greeted professionally. The staff are kind. The place is clean. It is fine. Then you get back to your car, sit there for a moment, and think: I can't put Mom here.
You cannot always say exactly why. Nothing was wrong. It just did not feel right. It felt like a place you go when options run out. It felt managed. It felt like an environment designed for efficiency, not for living.
That feeling is telling you something accurate.
Why do most memory care communities feel institutional?
Most memory care communities are built from the same template. They are a managed wing or floor inside a larger campus, secured with visible hardware and organized around medical logistics.
The residents there are cared for. But the environment, the look, the feel, and the scale communicate something the brand language works hard to walk back.
Story Cottage was built to start from a completely different premise.
What does a Story Cottage memory care home actually look like?
What you walk into when you visit a Story Cottage is a home. Not a residence. Not a community. A home, situated in a neighborhood, surrounded by other houses, looking from the outside like a beautifully maintained residential property.
No institutional exterior. No commercial signage. A neighbor could drive past every day and simply see a beautiful house.
Inside, that feeling continues:
High ceilings and plenty of natural light
A living room designed for gathering, with comfortable furniture
A real kitchen, not a cafeteria
Artwork on the walls and design choices that reflect how people actually want to live
Can safety and a home-like feel exist in the same place?
Yes. The safety infrastructure is there, of course it is. Story Cottage residents need protection and structure. But the design philosophy is that safety and home-like comfort are not opposites.
The security features are embedded into the design rather than displayed. Residents live inside a carefully protected environment that does not feel like one.
Why does the size of a memory care home matter?
Then there is the scale: eight to twelve residents per cottage. Not a wing. Not a floor. A house, with a consistent group of people who come to know each other, and a staff who knows every single one of them.
This matters clinically, not just aesthetically. Research consistently shows that familiar environments and intimate social settings produce better outcomes for people living with memory conditions. The design is not a luxury. It is part of the care.
What question should every family ask when touring memory care?
Story Cottage was founded in 2019 after years of researching the very best memory care models from across the country. The goal was to build something that could honestly answer the question every family is really asking when they tour a care community:
Would I want to live here?
At Story Cottage, the answer is yes. "The Best Possible Day. Every Day." That is not a tagline. It is what we are built around.
"Safety and home-like comfort are not opposites. Residents live inside a carefully protected environment that doesn't feel like one."
— Diane Kohan Executive Director
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Story Cottage different from other memory care in Indianapolis?
Story Cottage is a real home in a residential neighborhood, not a managed wing inside a larger campus. Each cottage houses only 8 to 12 residents, with embedded safety features and a design built to feel like a home rather than an institution.
How many residents live in each Story Cottage home?
Each Story Cottage is home to eight to twelve residents. This small, consistent group allows residents to come to know one another and lets staff know every single resident.
Is Story Cottage safe for people living with memory conditions?
Yes. Story Cottage includes full safety infrastructure and structure that residents need. The security features are embedded into the design rather than displayed, so residents stay protected without feeling like they live in an institution.
Why does a smaller, home-like setting improve memory care?
Research consistently shows that familiar environments and intimate social settings produce better outcomes for people living with memory conditions. At Story Cottage, the home-like design and small resident count are part of the care, not just aesthetics.
When was Story Cottage founded and what is its philosophy?
Story Cottage was founded in 2019 after years of researching the best memory care models across the country. Its philosophy centers on one question every family asks on a tour, Would I want to live here, and its guiding promise is The Best Possible Day. Every Day.
How can I schedule a tour of Story Cottage in Indianapolis?
You can schedule a visit by calling (317) 449-5696 or by visiting storycottageliving.com. The team welcomes families who want to see the home in person.
Diane Kohan
About the Author
I’m originally from Newburgh, IN, and have been an RN for 25 years. I hold a B.S. in Health Information Administration and an A.S. in Nursing from Indiana University. I achieved board certification in 2020 as a Gerontological Nurse through ANCC and a Qualified Memory Care Professional (QMCP) through the Institute for Excellence in Memory Care.
My healthcare journey began in high school as a candy striper pushing the candy/gift cart around all the units, later becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant while in college. After starting my career in medical coding, I quickly realized my passion was hands-on nursing. I spent a decade in acute care at Methodist Hospital and St. Vincent Heart Center before returning to my love for long-term care, assisted living, and memory care.
Over the years, I have served as an MDS Coordinator, Director of Nursing, and MDS Consultant. As a regional nurse, I wrote policies, trained staff, and implemented dementia education across multiple states. My passion lies in providing exceptional care and supporting those living with memory loss. Follow her on LinkedIn.
