---
title: Cordwainer Navigation Overhaul Strategy
type: article
created: '2026-04-05'
updated: '2026-04-05'
source_docs:
- raw/2025-11-18-cordwainer-website-conversation-102490309.md
tags:
- client:cordwainer
- website
- navigation
- seo
- ux
- content-strategy
layer: 2
client_source: null
industry_context: null
transferable: true
---

# Cordwainer Navigation Overhaul Strategy

Decisions and rationale from the November 2025 website strategy review with Cordwainer ownership and the Asymmetric team. The core goal is to simplify the main navigation, improve user flow, and better reflect the site's actual content hierarchy — while preserving SEO value for key terms like "dementia care."

## Context

The existing navigation had accumulated inconsistencies across multiple agency transitions. Menu labels didn't match page content, SEO-driven naming ("Dementia Care" as a top-level nav item) confused users, and related content was scattered across disconnected sections. The overhaul addresses structure first; content merging follows as a second pass by the Asymmetric team.

See also: [[clients/cordwainer/_index]] | [[knowledge/website/cordwainer-seo-brand-balance]]

---

## Proposed Navigation Structure

### 1. "Dementia Care" → **Living & Care**

**Rationale:** The existing top-level label "Dementia Care" was confusing and didn't reflect the breadth of the section. "Living & Care" is warmer and more accurate as a parent label.

**SEO note:** The keyword "dementia" does not need to appear in the nav item itself — it is more important that a dedicated Dementia Care *page* exists and is keyword-rich. The nav label can be user-friendly without sacrificing search visibility.

**New sub-items:**
| Sub-item | Description |
|---|---|
| Dementia Care | The primary care program; replaces the old "Programs" page |
| Learned Environment | Cordwainer's proprietary program; currently buried under About |
| Respite Care | Temporary stays |

**Content work required:** Asymmetric team to merge content from the old "Programs" page into the new Dementia Care sub-page. The "Programs" label is retired.

---

### 2. "Residences" → **Accommodations** (or "The Residence")

**Rationale:** The current page conflates floor plans with community amenities. Separating them into distinct sub-items improves clarity for prospective residents and families.

**New sub-items:**
| Sub-item | Description |
|---|---|
| Suites | Floor plans for private (studio) and companion suites |
| Amenities | Community features; will also absorb content from the "Safety & Healthcare" sub-page currently under About |

**Open question:** Final label ("Accommodations" vs. "The Residence") deferred to Asymmetric team recommendation. Either works; brevity favors "Accommodations."

**Content work required:** Asymmetric team to recommend final structure and anchor linking within the page (currently the Suites section does not anchor correctly from the nav).

---

### 3. "Photos" → **Gallery** (or "Life Here")

**Rationale:** The current Photos page is disorganized, has incorrect captions (e.g., the living room is labeled "Lobby"), and mixes content types without any filtering.

**Changes:**
- Add a category filter: **Exterior | Interior | Suites | Life at Cordwainer**
- Remove text overlays from all images
- Correct mislabeled captions (coordinate with Cordwainer team for accuracy)
- Tag images with descriptive alt text / filenames in the backend for SEO (e.g., "Cordwainer Companion Suite") even if labels aren't shown on the front end

**Note on copy block:** The existing paragraph beginning "Our memory care community features a…" does not belong on the Gallery page. Content to be relocated to Amenities.

---

## Sections Staying As-Is

- **Events** — No structural changes needed. Cordwainer posts ~2 public-facing events per month.
- **About** — Label stays; internal content is being cleaned up separately (see [[knowledge/website/cordwainer-about-section-cleanup]]).
- **Expert Corner (Blogs)** — Label stays for now; content to be refreshed.
- **News** — No structural changes. Dates intentionally omitted to avoid content appearing stale.

---

## Key Decisions

| Decision | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Top-level nav label for care section | "Living & Care" (final wording TBD between "Living & Care" and "Life & Care") |
| "Dementia" keyword in nav | Not required in nav label; must appear prominently on the Dementia Care sub-page |
| Residences rename | "Accommodations" preferred; Asymmetric team to confirm |
| Suites vs. Studios terminology | Cordwainer internally uses "studios" (single) and "companions" — not "suites." Backend image tags should reflect actual terminology. |
| Gallery filters | Exterior, Interior, Suites, Life at Cordwainer |
| "Programs" page | Retired; content merged into Dementia Care sub-page |

---

## Action Items

| Owner | Task |
|---|---|
| Asymmetric team | Develop full nav structure recommendation with final labels |
| Asymmetric team | Plan content merger for Living & Care section (Programs → Dementia Care) |
| Asymmetric team | Plan content merger for Accommodations section (Safety & Healthcare → Amenities) |
| Asymmetric team | Implement Gallery filter and remove image text overlays |
| Bodo / Maria | Confirm correct image captions and room labels for Gallery |
| Melissa | Connect Bodo with Sixth City contact re: Unbounce landing page links |
| Melissa | Schedule 30-min WordPress access call with Bodo and Sebastian |

---

## Transcript Reference

> "So what the, if, what did you have on the first, you had life, life in care, or living in care? … So what do you think, Melissa, if living in care was the main menu title, underneath you have three different ones, you have dementia care, you have the learned environment … and the third is respite care."
> — Bodo Liesenfeld

> "It's not as crucial in the navigation. It is more about the pages and also, like let's say, just throwing this out, if it said programs up here, as long as like dementia has a page."
> — Melissa Cusumano

> "We just think amenities and the suites should be separated."
> — Bodo Liesenfeld