WALTHAM, MA – EPOCH Senior Living, a Northeastern senior living organization, announced flag-raising celebrations for nine of its senior living communities that recently achieved Purple Flag for Dementia Care™ accreditation.
EPOCH will host ceremonies at each of the nine community locations in the coming weeks to officially commemorate the partnership between Purple Flag and EPOCH. The partnership was first established in June 2023 when EPOCH launched its system-wide initiative to implement the senior care quality enhancement program across all 12 of its communities with memory care.
EPOCH & Purple Flag
Three of the nine flag-raising celebrations have already occurred: two on March 19th at Bridges by EPOCH at Pembroke and Bridges by EPOCH at Hingham, and one on March 20th at Bridges by EPOCH at Andover. Ceremonial flag-raising events are held at every Purple Flag accredited community to celebrate the significant accomplishment driven by their teams’ hard work and dedication in meeting the accreditation requirements. The raising of the Purple Flag also serves as a symbolic reminder to the community’s team, residents and families of their commitment to enhancing the quality of life of individuals living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia under their care.
“We’re honored to celebrate with our communities by raising the prestigious Purple Flag,” said Laurie Gerber, Chairperson of EPOCH Senior Living. “This commitment marks the initiation of our journey towards an elevated standard of excellence upheld by EPOCH and our renowned programs. It’s a testament to the exceptional leadership exhibited by our teams in memory care and the field of senior living overall.”
All nine communities achieved Purple Flag accreditation in December 2023 and will hold flag-raising events throughout March, April and May 2024 to join the first three EPOCH communities to receive this recognition in June 2023 — Waterstone on High Ridge, Bridges by EPOCH at Trumbull, and Bridges by EPOCH at Norwalk.
The nine newly accredited communities include:
- Bridges by Epoch at Nashua
- Bridges by Epoch at Pembroke
- Bridges by Epoch at Andover
- Bridges by Epoch at Hingham
- Bridges by Epoch at Sudbury
- Bridges by Epoch at Westwood
- Bridges by Epoch at Lexington
- Bridges by Epoch at Mashpee
- Bridges by Epoch at Westford
Purple Flag is an accreditation program designed to recognize excellence and drive continuous improvement in the quality of services offered by senior care organizations. Its rigorous application process assesses assisted living communities, long-term care facilities and home care agencies in terms of their ability to consistently deliver person-centered care, maintain a supportive and therapeutic environment, and offer ongoing training to staff associates as well as support to the families they serve. Purple Flag accredited communities must adhere to 60 best-practice standards considered essential and valuable when caring for someone with dementia. As a result, Purple Flag communities are setting the gold standard for excellence in memory care while enhancing the senior care organization’s overall services.
“The Purple Flag accreditation program was initially aimed at improving the lives of seniors living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. However, our commitment to advancing safety and quality of life standards has led to a significant discovery,” said Christopher Carter, President of the Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA) and Purple Flag Governance Committee member. “We have found that the program’s impact extends beyond memory care, elevating the overall quality of senior care services provided by communities like these communities of EPOCH to unprecedented levels of excellence. This realization is symbolized by the Purple Flag emblem and is celebrated through these community flag-raising ceremonies.”
More than six million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and 11 million more are providing unpaid care for those with dementia (Alzheimer’s Association, 2023). The need for high-quality, trustworthy memory support options that families and eldercare professionals can rely on has never been greater. The Purple Flag for Dementia Care™ Accreditation standards, which include a quality framework and specific required elements for care programs, are considered essential and valuable in making a difference in the care of a person with dementia.