Salt Lake City, UT-based WellQuest Living has assumed management of three communities developed by Gallaher Senior Living in southern California under a model meant to highlight a boutique approach to senior living.

With the additional three communities — Santianna, an independent and assisted living community in Carlsbad; Vienna at Santianna, an adjacent memory care community; and Laurel Heights in Moorpark, offering both assisted living and memory care — WellQuest Living now manages eight properties for Gallaher Senior Living. Dean Mattsson, president of WellQuest Living, told the McKnight’s Business Daily that the properties are all boutique operations.

“We’re a smaller company. I think the Gallaghers really wanted to partner with a smaller group,” he said. “We really try to make sure that everything we do for our residents is personalized.”

Laurel Heights formerly was known as Oakmont of Moorpark; Gallaher changed the name in April. Vienna at Santianna formerly was known as Villena at Santianna.

Mattsson said that the design of the communities “makes them boutique.”

“But I also think just the philosophy and the mindset behind how we manage them is really what gives it the boutique feel … the hands-on and intimate approach,” he said.

WellQuest strives for a personalized, holistic approach to senior living, according to Mattsson, who added that residents may see a change in management style under WellQuest. For example, he has been involved in leading on-site memory care program training.

“We call it ‘The Journeys.’ And I’m out there doing the training myself,” Mattsson said. “Compare that to a large organization that is managing 150 to 200 communities. It’s just a more hands-on, more personalized approach. I think that’s the biggest change.”

Programming will be a little different as well, including the communities’ culinary programs, he said.

“From the way that we develop and design our menus to the food that we serve, it’s all resident-centric,” Mattsson said.

WellQuest also partners with LifeLoop to communicate with residents and families. 

“It gives everybody access with the click of a button on their phone. They have access to everything that’s going on in the communities,” Mattsson said.

Mattsson added the WellQuest-managed communities, particularly the ones the company manages for Gallaher, have among the highest staffing ratios in the industry.

“We are delighted to welcome WellQuest Living as the new management company at Santianna, Vienna and Laurel Heights. Being an intimate, family-owned community, we place great value on fostering strong relationships and delivering services and amenities of the highest caliber,” Gallaher CEO Molly Gallaher said in a press release. “Our vision for luxury senior living aligns perfectly with WellQuest’s unwavering dedication to excellence.”

WellQuest manages a total of 17 communities in California.