San Clemente Villas by the Sea
By Bill Koelzer
The San Clemente Villas by the Sea assisted living community offers a luxurious, healthy, comfortable environment for senior residents over age 65.
The Villas community includes nutritious gourmet dining, an activities center, movie theater, computer room and library, pool & spa, as well as comfortable outdoor patio areas for important social interaction between residents and visiting family and friends.
One enters the Villas through an open, living room-like “grand hall” with soaring ceilings, and plush furniture. Smiling, over-65 seniors enjoy chatting amongst themselves and with visiting relatives as they lounge on couches, easy chairs or sit at small cozy tables. The soft drink refreshments bar is always open.
Paul and Aileen Brazeau co-own and manage the staff and directly participate in the Villas’ social activities, also conducting special “community” events during the year, usually to benefit a non-profit organization.
Intelligently located immediately adjacent to the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center hospital and directly across the street from buildings housing scores of doctors, the gleaming white three story complex offers its residents expansive city and ocean views as well as amenities rivaling those of a luxury private club.
Along with its comfort and grandeur, residents enjoy a level of care seldom seen in senior domiciles. For example, the Villas tailors a care plan to meet each resident’s individual and unique needs involving 24-hour personalized care and the finest comprehensive activity program for residents with special needs and memory care.
The executive director and two licensed nurses are involved in all aspects of team management and resident care, quality assurance and family participation. Dr. Jane L. Mahakian, a Ph.D., gerontologist also works with those in need of help regarding dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Seniors get scheduled transportation Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with scheduled church transportation services on Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Residents have the option of choosing a studio, or a one-bedroom apartment suite.
Aileen Brazeau, the marketing and PR director of the Villas, says, “We love San Clemente and its senior residents who live here. The first thing that Paul, I and our staff focused upon when we opened our doors in 2002 was that each senior has a unique story to tell and each one has individual needs. If we are as successful as people say we are in providing luxury senior care and lodging, it is for that reason… we keep listening very closely to what our residents tell us.”
Married couples, life partners and singles all live here, many forming close friendships as they participate in the endless group and individual scheduled daily activities at the Villas. Residents enjoy as much independence as possible, plus there is ample assistance for much older adults who need help with dressing, bathing, taking medications, healthy nutrition, exercise and other daily personal chores.
Paul Brazeau, a Navy Veteran, and an experienced 40-year builder of shopping centers, has focused on constructing senior facilities for the past twenty years. Before that, he built and owned Delta Electric, a Los Angeles-Orange County electrical contracting firm with more than 100 employees. In his career, he’s built 35 buildings — and San Clemente Villas by the Sea, which he calls his “labor of love.”
San Clemente Villas
660 Camino de Los Mares
San Clemente • 949.489.3400
SanClementeVillas.com
Behind the scenes of our October cover shoot at San Clemente Villas by the Sea