Alicia Seaver is the Vice President of Memory Care Operations for EPOCH Senior Living and a Certified Memory Impairment Specialist. Every month, she addresses a specific issue related to memory loss and memory care. If you’re interested in learning about a particular topic, please send a note to [email protected].
Q: I know that a memory care community is the best place for my loved one with dementia. However, is now a safe time to move?
A: I understand how worrisome this time can be for those with loved ones who need the 24/7 support and care that a dedicated memory care community provides. It’s truly a stressful time for everyone – let alone being a full-time family caregiver on top of it. You may be dealing with an internal battle. On the one hand, you want your loved one to receive the care and assistance they need to live the best life possible. On the other hand, you know that seniors are a vulnerable population. You may be asking yourself: Is it safer to wait? Stay at home? Make the move now?
All of us at Bridges® by EPOCH feel your concerns and fears deeply. There is nothing more important to us than the safety and health of our residents and team. This is precisely why – although it may seem counterintuitive – now is an excellent time to move your loved one into a community if you’ve been considering the transition. Here’s why.
Bridges® by EPOCH adheres to strict COVID-19 prevention and safety protocols.
As I mentioned, the health and safety of our residents are top priorities. That’s why all our Bridges® by EPOCH communities – in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire – continue to enforce strict safety measures that exceed the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health departments.
All team members, essential visitors and ancillary service providers must adhere to our pre-screening process, including a questionnaire, temperature checks and PPE. Teams are trained in and utilizing proper PPE and other infection-prevention techniques. We provide recurring staff testing for COVID-19. We are pros at frequently sanitizing high-touch surfaces and all common areas, and we enforce proper and frequent handwashing. Social distancing is in effect throughout the communities and with small-group activities.
If you speak to one of our licensed nurses, you’ll probably hear that they, too, are taking utmost precaution when they’re at home and when they go into public. Be assured that we are proactively reducing exposure risk by making sure these virus-prevention and protection protocols are followed by all within our communities.
Purposeful design provides the benefit of smaller, self-contained environments.
The households in our Bridges® memory care communities are small, highly controlled and self-contained environments. Each has its own frequently sanitized common spaces, including a living room, library, home-style kitchen and dining area. Households are assigned specific team members who know each resident well, enabling them to quickly spot changes in health and behaviors. Our unique residential community design provides support and familiarity while encouraging residents to remain engaged in community life.
Bridges® memory care communities provide a vibrant lifestyle filled with moments of joy.
Let’s face it: social isolation can be boring. But that’s not the case at Bridges® by EPOCH communities. Our residents benefit from daily socialization, stimulating cognitive activities and physical engagement. Our outdoor courtyard provides the perfect setting for relaxing, exercising, birdwatching or other activities with our life enrichment team. Residents are spending their days painting, listening to music, engaging with our unique, dementia-friendly iN2L™ and Eversound® technologies, enjoying sensory therapies that comfort them and more. While social distancing, our teams are being flexible and creative in fulfilling our promise to deliver moments of joy, hope and peace to our residents’ daily lives.
On a personal level, I am so humbled by the testimonials and feedback we have received from family members of our current residents. This has been such a difficult time for everyone, but the appreciation and thanks we have received have lifted our spirits and encouraged the Bridges® teams to continue doing our best every day. You can read their words here.
I know that moving your loved one to a memory care community is a highly emotional decision, and more so during this uncertain time. Please feel free to reach out to the Senior Advisors at our caring communities – or to me personally – if you have questions about our procedures or how we’re continuing to provide the highest quality of life for our residents while maintaining safety standards.
The teams at Bridges® by EPOCH are here to support families through their journeys with dementia. Not only are they here to help families with the transition of new residents to a memory care community, but they are also available as a resource for education, information and support for families who recently received a diagnosis or may be struggling to care for a loved one at home. We invite you to contact the Senior Advisor at your local Bridges® community.
Enhancing Quality of Life
Bridges® by EPOCH communities have been developed from the ground up to anticipate, meet and exceed the needs of our residents and their families. Our team of remarkable people, the exceptional care and services we offer and the purposeful design of our buildings all combine to create the most rewarding, secure and nurturing lifestyle possible for our residents.
We understand the concern families feel about ensuring quality of life for loved ones. That’s why, at Bridges® by EPOCH, we offer a wellness-centered lifestyle that focuses on reinforcing individual strength so residents enjoy heightened confidence and self-esteem. Ultimately, we provide everything residents need to thrive and rediscover a life with purpose.
Inspiration for Success
At our Bridges® by EPOCH communities, we work closely with families to gain necessary insight and deeper understanding into the lives of our residents upon admission. With this initial information, along with what our exceptional team members learn about our residents each and every day, we are best prepared to provide highly individualized programming for our residents.