The soda fountain days of the 1950’s have come to life again with the brand new opening of our region’s very first Town Square. A daycare for those struggling with memory issues, this beautiful 12,000 sq. ft. space has the look, sounds, and feel of a 1950’s Main Street, with twelve different storefronts including a diner, theater, City Hall, library, and even a park in the middle featuring a 1957 T-bird. Business partners Wendy Rickenbach-Barclay and Michael Finn plan to open future locations in Venice and Fort Myers.
“The Town Square concept helps families struggling to take care of their loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia,” Michael explains. “They can leave their loved one for the day in a place that is incredibly engaging and safe, with programming provided by our dementia-trained staff. The theme is ‘reminiscence therapy.’ Seniors with memory issues can sometimes more easily connect with strong memories from earlier in life, and these connections can lead to cognitive benefits like better mood and sleep."
Wendy comes to Town Square with many years of experience as owner of Care Patrol, having helped Sarasota seniors for eight years find assisted living. Michael grew up seeing the impact of his musician mother singing golden oldies to seniors in nursing homes, and wanting to help his community.
“People want to keep their loved ones at home for as long as possible,” Michael says. “By creating a place where families can drop them off for the day and know that they are going to have a blast, and with real programming, it can greatly ease the burden.”
3880 Central Sarasota Parkway, Sarasota. 941.336.5061. Townsquare.net/sarasota.
+ Concept: Town Square
+ Owners: Wendy Rickenbach-Barclay & Michael Finn
+ Location: Oaks Plaza at Palmer Ranch
+ Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
+ After Hours: Rent Town Square for parties and events
“People walk in and say it’s like a Disney World for seniors. This is an incredibly engaging environment where people can know their loved one is well cared for.”