Bridges® by EPOCH Opens Memory Care Community in Lexington, MA

Bridges® by EPOCH at Lexington, located at 56 Watertown Street in Lexington, began moving residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia into the brand-new community this week.

The community is a collaboration between EPOCH Senior Living, a premier provider of senior housing and care since 1997, and National Development, a real estate and investment firm with senior housing experience. This marks the opening of the eleventh Bridges® by EPOCH stand-alone memory care assisted living community in New England for EPOCH Senior Living.

Meticulously built by Cranshaw Construction, Bridges® by EPOCH at Lexington is situated adjacent to the Belmont Country Club and has three residential households, each consisting of 16 memory care suites – 14 private suites with private bathrooms and two companion suites offering private bedrooms and a shared bathroom. The community has been purposefully designed with numerous safety and support features to enhance quality of life and provide a safe, comfortable home for those in all stages of memory loss.

“When it came to developing Bridges by EPOCH at Lexington, we knew based on our other communities throughout New England that a purposeful design centered around those we serve was the best recipe for success,” says Joanna Cormac Burt, Chief Executive Officer at EPOCH Senior Living. “For each of our communities, we take every detail into account to create the best possible environment, from our suites’ features to the colors and textures of our interior design elements to safety and security measures to welcoming community spaces with visibility of the entire household.”

Each close-knit household has its own kitchen, dining areas, comfortable living rooms and activity spaces. Resident suites open into living areas – not hallways – to reduce confusion and allow for increased interaction in community life. Soft and contrasting colors, abundant natural light, nonglare surfaces, directional cues and safety enhancements all combine to give residents with dementia more confidence in daily life.

Outside, residents enjoy exercising, relaxing and visiting with loved ones in fully enclosed, completely secure courtyards. This serene setting features sensory gardens, bird feeders and baths, raised planter boxes, walking paths and comfortable seating.

“The Bridges Way – our uplifting approach to daily living and care – has many moving parts that work together toward one common goal: to ensure residents’ safety, health, and happiness through joyful and meaningful experiences,” says Alicia Seaver, EPOCH Senior Living’s Vice President of Memory Care Operations and Certified Memory Impairment Specialist. “From entertainment, social events and outings to modified dining options, support services and unique memory care programming, everything about the Bridges Way is tailored to the individual’s preferences, abilities and needs at any given time on any given day.”

All Bridges® by EPOCH team members are specially trained in dementia care techniques, Seaver says. The teams take time to get to know each resident, learn their life stories and form personal bonds rooted in trust and respect. These relationships are key to effective two-way communication that calms fears and anxieties and assures residents they are understood and valued.

“We are excited to bring high-quality memory care assisted living and our dedicated approach to Lexington and the families we will serve,” Executive Director Fred Kelly shares. “It’s truly the passion of every member of our team to provide an environment that is enriching, comforting and allows for engagement, positivity and joy through each stage of the journey through memory loss.”

Bridges® by EPOCH is also well-known in the markets it serves for being a resource for the greater community through complimentary support groups and educational presentations on topics related to dementia and caregiving. Families in the Lexington area are invited to attend and can register for upcoming events on the website: BridgesbyEPOCH.com.

To learn more about this brand-new memory care community now open in Lexington, MA, visit us online or contact Adele Pepin, VP Marketing and Communications for EPOCH Senior Living, by email at: apepin@epochsl.com.