There were several factors in Derek Hansen’s life that led him to pursue his calling of helping others. When his mother moved to the United States at 20 years old, she took on social work jobs at a women’s home and eventually began working with people with brain injuries. This type of work had intrigued Hansen and he always knew he wanted to do something that would allow him to give back by helping others.
He completed an internship in the rehabilitation unit of a senior living facility. At the same time, his grandfather was admitted into an assisted living facility where he was unhappy and his health was declining. The family decided to move him to a smaller environment where he quickly began to thrive. A lightbulb went off in Hansen’s head and he knew he wanted to make a career out of improving senior care.
Hansen starting off working in the larger facilities where he found the care was impersonal, cold, and lacking commitment to the betterment of the residents. His vision entailed creating residences with an environment that provided a sense of community. He wanted to fully immerse himself in it and be physically present in the building every day.
Building his residences, he excluded all of the things he didn’t like in the larger senior living facilities (artificial, unwelcoming furnishings, lack of personalized care, and grouping people to hallways instead of to other people) and incorporated all of the things he felt would help residents thrive (personalized care, low staff turnover, evidence-based principals, increased social engagement, and personalized exercise programs that help with balance, etc.) At Aria Senior Living, you find all of these along with an emphasis placed on the design of the buildings, which offer an inviting space with a small group design focused on the layout of the floorplan, making it easier for residents to socialize and interact with one another.
The health, safety, and well-being of residents is the top priority of Aria Senior Living. We offer a sense of community based on personalized care through understanding and meeting the unique needs of every individual resident. If you would like additional information or would like to schedule a personalized tour, please contact us.
