Benefis Plans Innovative Memory Care Village 

Benefis Health System is developing plans for a memory care complex, which would be one of the first in the nation. The Benefis Village would be designed to feel like a community, with a campus that allows more movement and activities while still maintaining a safe environment.

Benefis Village is envisioned as a future home for 48 residents with 52 full- and part-time staff on a 13-acre campus near The Grandview at Benefis and the Sanavita Estates senior housing complex.

With the concept, the village will have group living arrangements similar to other memory care facilities but also will have amenities designed to replicate a residential environment. Residents will be able to walk to the village’s library, café, or shop. The café and shop won’t take payment like a typical store but will help make life more interesting for residents.

The village will have a fence for safety. Similar projects in Canada and Europe showed the model reduced agitation and improved the quality of life for residents by giving them outside access and space to roam.

The Great Falls site was home to the Poor Clares convent, which opened in 2005 and closed abruptly several years ago.

Benefis Village is under review by the city.

No applications for Benefis Village will be accepted at this time, and the anticipated opening is not until 2028. If you need memory care support for yourself or a loved one, please connect with The Grandview Reflections Assisted Living at 406-771-6200.