Halcyon Concepts, A Unique Take On Senior Care And Living

When members of her family needed that extra level of care, she said she found she and her family were dissatisfied with the care options.

By, Terra Rivers, Managing Editor

On April 20, the San Marcos Lion’s Club heard about an upcoming multimillion dollar facility, which will provide home, home health and hospice care to residents in need of those services.

Halcyon Concept, LLC is an Austin based company specializing in Continuing Care Retirement Communities. The company was established in 2013 by CEO and owner, Amy Sweet.

Sweet said the idea of Halcyon Concepts was born by her personal experience of a need for quality care for people as they got older. When members of her family needed that extra level of care, she said she found she and her family were dissatisfied with the care options.

“It didn’t matter how much money you had,” Sweet said. “Some of them had a lot of money, and some of them had no money. But in all of the circumstances one of them were happy with the care that was available to them.”

The idea for Halcyon Concepts was born in 2012; however, rezoning battles in Austin brought the project to halt.

Sweet said in the meantime, she had already hired several people with experience in marketing to senior. While the project continued to face obstacles, one of her marketing people suggested Halcyon begin offering home care to the ten seniors who’d already signed up.

Halcyon Concepts sister company Halcyon Home was born. It has been named ‘Best home health in Austin’ and ‘Best home care in Austin’ for the last two years.

Within a year, the home care company had grown to have over 100 clients. Now Halcyon Home has over 500 employees.

Sweet said the growth in Austin of her home care company consumed most of her time, and her dream for the Continuing Care Retirement Community, while not forgotten, fell onto the back burner.

But in April 2017, she was contacted by a local Baptist church to come out and talk about a property. Now Halcyon Concepts owns 20 acres at Hunter and McCarty.

The preliminary concept plan for the project will include 75 to 80 independent apartments, roughly 20 town homes, 125 assisted living apartments, 60 memory rooms and 42 skilled nursing rooms.

The community will also be home to a nail salon, a bistro, a gourmet restaurant, a hair salon, a spa, a theater, an exercise room, an art room, a music courtyard, outpatient physical therapy, RN 24/7 and physician coverage five days a week, a raised garden and a pool.

Unlike most other senior communities, the amenities will be open to the public allowing residents and family to enjoy them together, according to Sweet. The community is also pet friendly.

Sweet has partnered with Gerald and Susan Falyden; Gerald and Susan own and operate CelesteCare, which provides senior care to patients with Alzheimer and/or dementia.

CelesteCare was founded after Susan and Gerald struggled to find care for their loved ones.

Sweet said 16 of the 20 acres will be devoted to residential, and there will be outdoor space for the whole family to enjoy.

The land was rezoned in December 2017 by the San Marcos City Council. And Halcyon Concepts officially purchased it in March 2018.

Sweet said she hopes they will break ground on the property for the CCRC in January 2019. As of yet, they haven’t had any hurtles with the city, and it has not been decided whether the restaurant and bistro will submit for a liquor license in the future.

Jeff Whitaker, COO of Halcyon Concepts, said the company was fortunate San Marcos had recognized Sweet’s “amazing vision,” and San Marcos would be the first community to experience a unique take on senior care and retirement living.