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Senior Living Residences Honors National Nutrition Month with “Healthy Aging – Healthy Memory” Tips for Seniors

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Boston (March 1, 2010) –Senior Living Residences (SLR), a leader in providing assisted living and Alzheimer’s care to New England seniors, is honoring National Nutrition Month®, a program created by the American Dietetic Association, by offering the public nutritious “Tasty Tips” direct from the innovative nutrition program in place at SLR assisted living communities.

These “tips” include the free giveaway of a tasty blend of spices now enjoyed by residents at SLR communities, an SLR original Pita Chip healthy snack recipe and the opportunity to meet and hear directly from internationally recognized brain health nutrition expert Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, adjunct research assistant professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine and President of HealthCare Insights, LLC. Dr. Emerson Lombardo co-founded the National Alzheimer’s Association in 1980, and Alzheimer’s Disease International in 1985, and has spent the past decade researching the effects of nutrition on the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

SLR, which follows a research-based model of treatment and care and places a strong emphasis on innovation, is the first assisted living company in the nation to implement the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, developed by Dr. Emerson Lombardo . SLR communities working with Dr. Emerson Lombardo have enthusiastically embraced the central features of this program and have taken to heart MPN™ recommendations to use more spices, plant foods, and omega 3’s. President Bob Larkin is proud that “SLR is the first assisted living company in the nation to put spices on every dining table and develop our own proprietary blend of spices.”

“Tasty Tips” in honor of National Nutrition Month:

SLR’s MOTTO: SPICE IT UP! Substitute spices and herbs, such as cinnamon, ginger and parsley, as tasty and healthy alternatives to salt and sugar. During the month of March SLR is giving away free to any New Englander a sample of SLR’s in-house spice blend, which is nutrient rich and includes potent antioxidants to enhance the body’s natural ability to fight disease. Use it as a seasoning on poultry, fish, meat, salads and soups. To receive your free sample, visit www.SeniorLivingResidences.com/braindiet.
GO GREEN; GO NUTS!!! A major nutritional strategy in the MPN™ is to use more and varied plant foods, including vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, spices and fruits, and fewer animal foods;
SNACK WELL WITH SLR’S PITA CHIP RECIPE: Try SLR’s original Pita Chips with Hummus snack recipe. This simple and quick recipe uses whole wheat pita bread, SLR’s in-house spice blend, olive oil and cod liver oil, plus homemade hummus made of chickpeas, tahini, lemons and fresh garlic cloves. To obtain the full recipe at no cost, visit www.SeniorLivingResidences.com/braindiet.

As part of her program, Dr. Emerson Lombardo suggests:

BE KIND TO YOUR INNER HIPPO: Hippocampus, that is. “The delicate hippocampus, seat of memory in the brain, is especially sensitive to imbalances in blood sugar and fats.”
BE BRAINY: “To increase heart and brain wellness, favor foods that regulate and lower blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels, and are high in anti-oxidants to prevent oxidation of cholesterol, DNA and brain cells.”

MEET ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING EXPERTS: Attend an event hosted by SLR communities featuring Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo who will share her evidence-based guidelines for brain healthy eating. She and SLR chefs will share some of their favorite “brain healthy” recipes. For more information on these upcoming events, visit www.SeniorLivingResidences.com/braindiet.

Robert Larkin, president of Senior Living Residences, commenting on the relationship between healthy aging and a healthy memory, stated, “At SLR, we have a truly holistic approach, aiming to improve our residents’ quality of life on all levels. Nutrition is just one of our focuses, but an important one. The feedback we’ve received since implementing the Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program has been ALL positive - anecdotally, families have been telling us they are seeing improvements in the health of their loved ones after moving to one of our communities.”

Dr. Lombardo will be presenting her research, including her work with SLR’s assisted living communities, at the 25th International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) in Thessaloniki, Greece on March 9 – 13, 2010. She states that “Scientists researching Alzheimer’s disease believe changes and damage in the brain begin long before there are any symptoms of the disease. Following the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program can be an important step to take to protect your own brain health.” Since research shows that cardio- vascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar all threaten brain health, the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program as implemented at SLR communities, aims to help reduce or manage all these issues.”

About Senior Living Residences –
Since 1990, Senior Living Residences (SLR) of Boston, MA has created service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

About HealthCare Insights, LLC –
Founded by Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, HealthCare Insights, LLC, (HCI) is dedicated to research-based programs and educational efforts designed to help people of all ages protect and enhance their brain health. HCI is also committed to improving the health and well-being of persons with Alzheimer’s disease, and their
care partners. Dr. Emerson Lombardo has worked for more than 30 years in the fields of Alzheimer’s disease and services for older adults. During the past decade she has developed lifestyle interventions to promote brain health and to improve quality of life for adults of all ages. To learn more about how you can integrate the principles of the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program into your lifestyle or healthcare program, contact Dr. Emerson Lombardo at 978-621-1926 or online at http://healthcareinsights.net

Emerson Lombardo NB.Volicer L. Martin A et al. (2006) Memory preservation diet to Reduce Risk and Slow Progression of AD in Vellas B. Grundman M. Feldman H. Fitten LJ. Winblad B. editors, Research and Practice in Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Decline, vol 9: 138-159.

8 SLR Communities make “Top 10 Retirement Communities” list published by BestRetirementDestinations.com

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Click here to view Banker & Tradesman article

Boston, MA (January 7, 2010)

• Senior Living Residences’ (SLR) Communities in Massachusetts including Concord Park, The BayView of South Boston, Standish Village, Neville Place, JFK Apartments, Nashoba Park, The Cambridge Homes and Cape Cod Senior Residences have won a place in the Top Ten Retirement Communities in Massachusetts list published by BestRestirementDestinations.com in January 2010.

• In December 2009, BestRetirementDestinations.com published its national ranking of the Top 30 Assisted Living Retirement Communities in the country and 3 of SLR’s communities made that list including Cape Cod Senior Residences, Standish Village and Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park, their newest residence which opened in Spring 2009.

• BestRetirementDestinations.com evaluates communities based quality of personalized care, social networking, safety/security, proximity to medical care, and price range. All ranked communities have proven themselves to be well above standard considering these 5 critical ranking criteria. In order to get onto this list, each community was put through an intense evaluation process.

Relevant Links
BestRestirementDestinations.com 2010 List Best Retirement Communities in Massachusetts
December 2009 List of Top Assisted Living Retirement Communities by BestRetirementDestination.com

SLR President Larkin Recognizes Their “Right Values” Mission as Award Winning Point of Difference
“We are thrilled to have national recognition for the communities we own and manage,” said Robert Larkin, President of Senior Living Residences. “Our focus on our four “Right Values” - Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Innovation and Integrity – continue to earn our company top marks in the senior housing industry.”

About BestRetirementDesinations.com
bestretirementdestinations.com is a platform for retirees to be able to make an informed choice about the retirement community they want to settle into. Their objective is to evaluate and identify the best retirement communities, connect retirees with communities that best suit their requirement, and to provide added information that will assist retirees make best decisions for their retirement. More information can be found at www.bestretirementdetinations.com.

About Senior Living Residences
Senior Living Residences (SLR) has proven expertise in the senior housing industry since its inception in 1990. The privately-held firm was among the founders of Assisted Living in New England and just launched "Compass Memory Support Assisted Living", an innovative, research-based treatment program for those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The firm currently manages nine communities in eastern Massachusetts (two of which it owns). With a continued strong regional presence in New England, SLR remains committed to its founding "Right Values" mission. As a result, the firm enjoys a reputation for integrity among eldercare professionals and trust among consumers, earning the company consistently high customer satisfaction survey ratings.

Through its work with leading academic institutions and clinicians, SLR also enjoys an excellent reputation for its support of research to advance the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, receiving an award from the Boston University School of Medicine's Alzheimer's Disease Center for its efforts in this area. Senior Living Residences also publishes a blog that speaks directly to caregivers supporting loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. Their Alzheimer’s Care Blog is one of the first in the region to tackle this subject matter.

SLR Wins Alzheimer's Award

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Boston, MA – Senior Living Residences (SLR) recently received a Recognition Award from the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BU ADC) for the company’s contribution to Alzheimer’s disease research, community outreach, and support of the research and education initiatives of the BU ADC.

Dr. Robert Stern, Associate Professor of Neurology and Co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical and Research Program at BU ADC, presented the award, saying that he viewed SLR “as one of the most innovative and expert senior living and Alzheimer’s care organizations in the country.” See attached letter >

As the premier provider of Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s disease care in New England, SLR stands at the forefront in providing the most state-of-the-art care available because of its affiliations with such nationally recognized academic organizations as BU ADC, which are leaders in the field of senior-related care, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, through their research and innovation.

“SLR is honored to accept the BU ADC Recognition Award,” said Tadd Clelland, Principal and Executive Vice President of SLR. “We are proud to be implementing specialized care programming that is directly related to new research discoveries in a continued effort to provide cutting edge treatment for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. This award recognizes our ongoing commitment to provide SLR residents with innovative programming, which greatly improves each person’s quality of life. ”

SLR also believes care extends beyond its doors. As the BU ADC recognized, SLR provides the communities it serves with the resources to be informed about new research initiatives, opportunities and breakthroughs. SLR is involved in many different community education and outreach projects. Most recently SLR developed an Alzheimer’s blog for caregivers (www.alzcareblog.com) and provided screenings of the HBO documentary, The Alzheimer’s Project, for the general public.

BU ADC is one of 31 federally funded Alzheimer’s Disease Centers nationwide with the goal of reducing the human and economic cost of Alzheimer’s through research, clinical care and education.

About Senior Living Residences

Since 1990, Senior Living Residences of Boston, MA has created service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services, which exceed industry standards, as well as its high staff retention. Partnering with equally committed organizations, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

SLR Vice President Receives MBA from Erickson School, Baltimore, MD

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

METHUEN, MA - Seth Dudley, Vice President for Business Development for Senior Living Residences, LLC, received an MBA in Aging Services from the Erickson School, University of Maryland Baltimore Campus, Baltimore, MD in December 2008.

Mr. Dudley was part of the first cohort to partake in an intense master's program offered to an elite group of leaders in the aging arena. He was chosen by Erickson's faculty due to his years of management experience in the field and his passionate drive to improve the quality of aging services.

Mr. Dudley, who is currently managing the start-up of SLR's newest community in Methuen, MA, intends to use the knowledge he has gained towards designing a state-of-the-art assisted living model, where services are provided through a holistic approach, rather than via the traditional separate medical and social offerings. "I am excited to use my experience towards creating a place where seniors can achieve an enhanced quality of life," he explained.

Bob Larkin, President of SLR, stated, "Seth’s accomplishment in completing this distinguished Master’s program is laudatory for him both personally and professionally. More importantly however, for the seniors who will be living at Methuen Village Assisted Living, Seth’s accomplishment wholly reflects his personal commitment to providing the best cutting-edge care available to elders."

The Erickson School advertises its new program as a path "designed for outstanding professionals who have demonstrated the capacity to lead and have shown the potential for even greater leadership responsibility." The coursework integrates the disciplines of aging, management, and public policy.

Senior Living Residences is proud to have Mr. Dudley involved in the start-up of Methuen Village, and the company’s principals are confident that his expertise will inspire his staff and propel the community towards a successful opening year.

For Seth Dudley's bio, click here.

For more information about Methuen Village, call 978-685-2220 or visit www.MethuenVillage.com

Nashoba Park One of First in Region to Regain Power after Major Ice Storm

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The ice storm that hit the northeastern region of the United States in December 2008 left millions without power for up to 14 days. Nashoba Park was back up in a few hours, thanks in large part to the dedication of community and regional emergency personnel.

Nashoba Park has strong ties to the community and its executive director works collaboratively with local civil service entities to promote the mission of the retirement community and bring attention to the work that is being done there. Because of this effort, the local fire department and emergency response personnel were able to greenlight the priority status of Nashoba Park to get the community back online.

Recognizing the importance of getting the community’s electricity back up as quickly as possible, Emergency Preparedness Regional Manager Wellman Parker personally stepped in to contact National Grid, the company that supplies power to the area, and pressed upon it the need to restore power to Nashoba Park immediately.

In the hours the community was without electricity, Nashoba Park ran its back-up generator, which provided the needed power to operate sufficiently. Lorden Oil Company came to the community to make sure the generator’s tank was full so that it could run as long as necessary.

“We are very grateful to the Ayer fire and emergency personnel, as well as Wellman Parker and the Lorden Oil Company for being aware of Nashoba Park’s priority and going beyond the call of duty to make sure our residents were cared for quickly,” said Stephanie Burton, executive director of Nashoba Park.

In the spirit of community, Nashoba Park opened its doors and accommodated any neighbors, family and staff needing assistance during the time the greater community was without power.

Managed by Senior Living Residences, Nashoba Park offers seniors a secure enriching lifestyle with both Independent Living and personalized Assisted Living. Residents enjoy gracious accommodations, 24-hour supportive services and many amenities at reasonable monthly rates. Nashoba Park was established by the nonprofit organization Volunteers of America, Massachusetts.

For more information, visit www.NashobaPark.com or call 978-772-0707.

Methuen Village Holds Hard Hat Tour

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park, the new assisted living residence under construction at 4 Gleason Street just off Broadway in downtown Methuen, held a Hard Hat Tour on September 25th to showcase the building to local officials. The new development will offer traditional Assisted Living and a residential 14-apartment Memory Support Neighborhood for those with Alzheimer’s disease. At full occupancy the project will house 97 seniors.

Methuen Village’s Executive Director Seth Dudley announced that construction is on schedule toward an early 2009 opening. He said, “Priority Applications for Residency are now available. Our furnished Model Apartment will be open at the end of October for tours every day by appointment and Open Houses will be held on weekends for drop-in visitors.”

Noted community leaders attended the event including Mayor William M. Manzi and Director of Economic & Community Development Karen Sawyer.

Commenting at the event, Mayor Manzi noted, “Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park will enable local seniors who wish to live in an assisted living community the opportunity to stay right here in Methuen. This new senior housing option is a welcome addition to our community and a key component of Methuen’s plans for the redevelopment of our central business district.”

The new senior community, set back from Broadway overlooking the Spicket River, will offer residents attractive spacious apartments with full baths and kitchenettes, a full dining program, personal care services, housekeeping, medication management, companionship, social and wellness programs, scheduled transportation, and more.

Mr. Dudley said, “The response that we have received from the local community demonstrates the need and desire for a high quality, reasonably priced assisted living option here. We now have staff on board full-time and are able to provide tours and answer questions from interested seniors and their families, so please call.”

He added, “We are busy developing our activities program and service package and hiring staff. We look forward to opening and providing the best possible care, a dynamic program of social and wellness activities, and an array of services tailored to meet the individualized needs of local seniors.”

Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park is a development of DS Development of Auburndale, MA. The company put together a team with vast experience in the Assisted Living industry to build and manage the new community. Management company Senior Living Residences of Boston, MA is a trusted name in senior housing and care for two decades and serves more than 600 residents in Independent Living, Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s Care in Massachusetts. The architectural firm is Henry Schadler Associates of Farmington, CT; the interior design firm is Currier and Associates of Newburyport, MA; and the construction firm is Cutler Associates of Worcester, MA. Richard Lefferts of Commonweal Collaborative, Leominster, MA, served as development consultant on the project.

For more information about Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park visit the community’s website www.MethuenVillage.com or call or email Seth Dudley, Executive Director, at 978-685-2220; sdudley@slr-usa.com.

Tadd Clelland named Partner of Senior Living Residences

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Robert Larkin and Peter Mullin, the founders and original Partners of Senior Living Residences, are pleased to announce that Executive Vice President Tadd Clelland has been named Partner.

Mr. Clelland joined Senior Living Residences in 2006 to manage community operations for the company’s owned and managed communities, overseeing resident care, food service, sales and community relations.

He is a veteran of the assisted living industry with over 10 years' experience in operations, social work, marketing and sales. He has specific expertise in managing residential Assisted Living Alzheimer’s programs. Prior to joining the Senior Living Residences' management team, Mr. Clelland worked for Hearthstone Alzheimer’s Care in Massachusetts, as well as Marriott Corporations’ Assisted Living Division as Director of Community Relations for Marriott’s MapleRidge community in Dartmouth, MA.

Mr. Clelland’s professional affiliations include membership in the Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association.

Senior Living Residences Announces New Management Contract for Assisted Living in Methuen, MA

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

South Boston, MA, March 18, 2008 – Senior Living Residences, a Boston-based senior facility development and management firm, announced a new management contract for an assisted living community now under construction in Methuen, MA.

Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park will offer local seniors independent and assisted living, as well as a secure Memory Support Neighborhood for those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The new senior community, scheduled to open in early 2009, is located in the heart of Methuen’s central business district set back from Broadway overlooking a lovely pond and meandering stream. The site’s location at 4 Gleason Street is ideal. It will offer residents an easy walk to shops and restaurants out the front door and an idyllic quiet brick patio with beautiful views of Spicket River out the back! The site will also be connected to Methuen’s well-known Riverwalk Park.

Robert Larkin, President of Senior Living Residences, said, “The response that DS Development, the project’s owner, has received from the local community demonstrates the need and desire for a high quality, affordable assisted living option in the area. We are busy developing our activities program and service package. We look forward to providing the best possible care, a dynamic program of social and wellness activities, and an array of services tailored to meet the individualized needs of local seniors.”

Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park will offer residents attractive spacious apartments with full baths and kitchenettes, a full dining program, personal care services, housekeeping, medication management, companionship, social and wellness programs, scheduled transportation, and more.

The building will feature 61 studio apartments, 24 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. At full occupancy, Methuen Village will be home to 97 residents. The indoor and outdoor community spaces at Methuen Village will be extensive and include a lovely Dining Room, Private Dining Room, Sunroom, Den and Country Kitchen featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and access to a wonderful brick patio overlooking the river and pond, as well as a formal Living & Music Room, Activities Room, Exercise Room, Library, Card & Game Room, Media Room, Beauty Salon and Indoor Garden Center.

A furnished Model Apartment will be open for viewing in September 2008. Private tours and Priority Applications for Residency will also be available at that time.

Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park is being developed by owner David P. Spada of DS Development, LLC. Mr. Spada put together a team to build and manage Methuen Village with vast experience in the assisted living industry. DS Development has collaborated extensively with its select professional team to develop a senior living community that fosters social interaction and promotes the health and well-being of its senior residents.

Mr. Spada said, “Methuen Village at Riverwalk Park will provide a warm, welcoming and vibrant community at reasonable monthly rates for the seniors of Methuen and throughout Merrimack Valley. In addition to offering local seniors a superior assisted living option, this development is a key component of Methuen’s plans for the redevelopment of its central business district. I’m proud to be contributing to this effort.”

The architectural firm, Henry Schadler Associates, PC of Farmington, CT, has designed over 7,000 residential units, both new construction and rehabilitation projects, since it was established in 1972. The design firm, Currier and Associates of Newburyport, MA, which ranks in the top 10 percent of independent interior design firms in the country, has built a reputation of excellence, completing more than 800 projects for senior living, healthcare, hospitality, commercial, institutional and residential clients. The builder, Cutler Associates of Worcester, MA is a top-ranked professional construction management firm, providing a full range of services throughout the United States. In recent years, Cutler has completed more than 35 assisted living, senior residence, retirement community, and skilled nursing facilities.

Senior Living Residences, LLC (SLR) of Boston, MA, is a New England leader in the creation of service-enriched housing and care options for seniors since 1990. The firm was among the original founders of assisted living in Massachusetts and is now in its second decade of successful development, lease-up, and cost-effective operations management of thousands of units of service-oriented senior housing. Guided by its “Right Values” mission, SLR has a strong record of quality service to seniors of all income levels across the full range of housing options - Independent Senior Living, Assisted Living and innovative "Memory Support Neighborhoods" for seniors with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Today, SLR is the area’s leading independent manager of assisted and independent living communities for both not-for-profit and proprietary organizations.

To download a pdf version of the press release, click here.

Senior Living Residences in US News & World Report

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Senior Living Residences was featured in the November 2006 issue of US News & World Report.

Senior Living Residences & Dovetail Health Launch Medication Assessment Program

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Senior Living Residences & Dovetail Health
Launch Groundbreaking Medication Management Program for Aging Adults

Boston, MA (November 5, 2007) – Senior Living Residences of Boston, MA has formed a unique partnership with Dovetail Health of Needham, MA and launched a groundbreaking program to evaluate the medication status of seniors who reside in, or plan to move into, assisted living communities. Senior Living Residences owns and manages assisted living communities throughout eastern Massachusetts. Dovetail Health is dedicated to helping aging Americans live independently by monitoring and managing their health and medication needs.

Recent studies show that up to 30 percent of hospitalizations among older adults can be attributed to medication mismanagement and 88 percent of the adverse reactions are preventable.

"Working with Dovetail Health on medication awareness and management is a natural extension of our commitment to providing service-enriched assisted living care services that enhance our residents’ independence and quality of life," said Robert Larkin, Principal and Co-Founder of Senior Living Residences.

Under the Dovetail/Senior Living Residences medication management program, seniors at Senior Living Residences’ assisted living communities receive a “Comprehensive Medication Check-Up.” Residents and families meet personally with an experienced clinical pharmacist who provides a thorough evaluation of each resident’s medications. A summary report identifies potential medication conflicts and related safety risks, provides personalized medication charts that families and residents can share with physicians, identifies possible medication-related issues and suggests particular questions that families may want to pose to physicians. SLR’s partnership with Dovetail Health is a first-of-its-kind program that offers this innovative service for residents in assisted living.

Gordon Fong, whose father lives at The BayView, a Senior Living Residences community in South Boston, says, "Our Dovetail Pharmacist took the time to educate me and my father on the uses of the medications, as well as the side effects. With an organized and full report tailored from my father’s medical history, we will be able to reduce miscommunications and avoid overlapping medications between our different physicians."

"Too often older Americans are taking multiple medications from different doctors without coordination, putting them at risk of medication related problems that can worsen diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions," said Stever Aubrey, CEO of Dovetail Health. "This reality, accompanied by the explosive growth of the senior population, creates a huge burden on our healthcare system."

"Given the complex health needs of older Americans today, services like Dovetail's Comprehensive Medication Check-Up are a necessity. It helps us provide our residents the independent lifestyle they've come to expect, with a stronger medication management service in place to support their health and safety,” said Peter Mullin, Principal and Co-Founder of Senior Living Residences.

The program is ongoing with further expansion planned after an evaluation phase is completed.

For a pdf version of this Press Release, click here.

Dovetail Health is an innovative home health service that provides high quality health management support and daily health monitoring for seniors. For more information visit the Dovetail web site or call 866.566.DOVE

Nashoba Park's New Social Program Director Featured in the Lowell Sun

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Kim Dee, the new Social Program Director at Nashoba Park, was featured in the Lowell Sun February 21, 2008. The focus of the article was about women seeking mid-life career changes in the assisted living and eldercare fields.

To download a pdf of this article, click here.

Neville Place Resident Turns 100

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500

As seen in the Cambridge Chronicle - Though they’ve never met, Cambridge residents Edward McGowan and Louise Macnair will always share a page of the city’s history.

Last week, McGowan reached a milestone few in this world are fortunate enough to achieve: he turned 100. Macnair did the same, five years ago, and recently celebrated her 105th birthday.

“They’re taking good care of me here,” McGowan said of the staff at Neville Place retirement home. McGowan moved to the North Cambridge retirement complex earlier this year. The path that brought him here, he said, crosses the Atlantic Ocean — twice — and stretches from an arms factory in Connecticut to a prison camp in Germany.

In another part of town, Macnair celebrated her 105th birthday two weeks ago. Living largely on her own on Walker Street, where she’s lived since Harry Truman was president, Macnair said her secret to a long life is really no secret at all.

“I’ve tried to live a life of moderation,” Macnair said.

Though reaching your 100th birthday is still something of an anomaly — in 2004, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was about 78 years, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention — McGowan and Macnair are not the only centenarians in town. According to Mary Ann Dalton of the Somerville/Cambridge Elder Services, there are at least nine people living in Cambridge above the age of 100.

Born Dec. 7, 1907, McGowan immigrated to America from Donegal, Ireland, in 1929. He found work in the Winchester Rifle Co. factory making guns and ammunition, a trade that could have kept him out of World War II altogether, had he wanted it to.

“The first time I got the draft notice, they told me, ‘You’re already working for the government, we need you here,’” McGowan said. “But the second time around, when I got a second notice, I decided I would just go.”

Just months later, McGowan found himself hurtling into the history books aboard a landing craft pointed at Omaha Beach. Then a corporal, McGowan was part of the second wave of Allied soldiers to land on the beaches of Northern France on D-Day in 1944.

“I was one of Patton’s boys,” McGowan said, referring to the famed general George Patton. He wasn’t scared as he and 90 or so of his U.S. Army brethren approached the shoreline, though McGowan said the sight of fallen soldiers floating in the water near the beach is just one among a collection of ghastly scenes he carries with him to this day.

“I was down at the back of the boat, and I was watching the waves from the propellers,” McGowan said. “The next thing I saw was an American soldier coming up from under the boat. He had his rifle still on his shoulder, and his gas mask. I still have nightmares.”

Once ashore, McGowan and his unit were charged with the task of retrieving Allied soldiers who’d been captured, among them Patton’s son-in-law.

“Patton got the idea that the Germans were going to kill all the soldiers,” McGowan said. “So he picked my company to go out and get all the prisoners.”

Along the way, McGowan said his unit ran out of ammunition, and was captured in a small town outside Hamburg, Germany. He was a prisoner of war for a little more than two months. Though he doesn’t recall where he was held in Germany — soldiers tended not to pay too much attention to geography, he said — McGowan does remember the reception he and his unit received upon their return to “Camp Lucky Strike” in France.

“We had these big beards, we were a mess,” McGowan said. “When we got on the plane to go back to the camp, the pilot reached under his seat and put a gas mask on. He couldn't stand the smell.”

McGowan said the war, while certainly important, is not the central fact of his life. In 1932, 11 years before he was deployed to the European Theater, he married his steady girlfriend, Mary Bohan, a union that would last 75 years. Their two children, Mary Ellen and Thomas Patrick, both graduated from Boston University.

“We had a wonderful life together,” McGowan said.

Though not technically a native of the city — her family brought her to America from England in 1905 — Louise Macnair has always thought of Cambridge as her hometown. It’s hard to imagine, but Macnair remembers a cobblestoned city that moved quite a bit slower when she was a girl.

“It’s quite different now,” Macnair said. “There were no cars then. We had a telephone, but radio didn’t come in for quite a while. We had our first one in 1928. It’s incredible. We wore out an awful lot of shoe leather in those days.”

A 1921 graduate of the Cambridge Latin School, Macnair went on to Radcliffe to study Romance languages.

“Not a terribly useful thing,” Macnair said. “I had thought I was going to be working as a translator, but that never happened.”

After graduating from Radcliffe in 1925, Macnair worked in the Brookline Public Library for three years before marrying her high school sweetheart, Luther Knight Macnair, then a teacher at Harvard University.

“My husband must have worn a path in the bricks from Cambridge to Brookline,” Macnair said, adding that she still remembers their first date.

“I met him on the stairs of the high school, and paid no attention to him, particularly,” Macnair said. “At the end of the year, we all went down to the Charles River, to the skating rink on the other side of [Harvard Square]. My friend Constance and I were putting our skates on, and Luther came over and said, ‘May I help you put those on?’ After we got the skates on, he said, ‘May I skate with you?’ Neither of us knew much about skating, so we said it was fine. It was a gorgeous moonlit night, and we all had a wonderful time going up the river and back again. When we were done, he asked us if he could help us get our skates off again, and then he asked me if he could see me home. That was the beginning, the first date.”

Luther and Louise Macnair were married in 1929, the same year the stock market collapsed, and the Great Depression set in. That year, the couple was living in New Hampshire, where Luther was teaching at a junior college in Tilton.

“We had very little salary,” Macnair said, noting that she and her husband subsisted on about $500 a year during the Depression. “But we had a place to sleep and food in the dining room, and we considered ourselves exceedingly lucky. There were many people with no jobs.”

Luther and Louise stayed in New Hampshire for 11 years, before moving to Vermont, and then back to Cambridge in 1943 — back to the same street Louise had lived on as a young girl. In the 1950s, Luther found work with the then-fledgling Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. As the civil rights movement picked up momentum nationwide, Macnair said she remembers many a tense night waiting for her husband to come home.

“I always had the feeling that I had to look over my shoulder, to see if anybody was coming,” Macnair said. “But [Luther] loved every minute of it. He was in there all day, trying to enlist young lawyers and students, and he gathered in a lot of volunteers.”

Invariably, both McGowan and Macnair are asked to impart on younger generations the secret of their respective longevity. Macnair said the trick, as Bing Crosby used to say, is to accentuate the positive.

“That old saying, smile and the world smiles with you, weep and you weep alone,” she said. “Remember that. Time is always wasted spent in anger.”

While there can be no doubting a positive attitude has gone along way in sustaining her vitality, McGowan said the key to living to see one’s 100th birthday ought to be fairly obvious.

“There’s one thing you’re not supposed to do if you want to live to see 100,” he said. “Don’t die.”

As seen in the Cambridge Chronicle.

Concord Park, Concord, MA Wins Local Newspaper “Readers Choice Award”

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Concord Park, Concord, MA Wins Local Newspaper “Readers Choice Award”

June 2008

Concord Park, located in West Concord, MA has won a Reader’s Choice Award from the Community Newspaper Company for the third consecutive year. The independent and assisted living community was the #1 pick for “Best Retirement Living Residence” in Concord, MA and also won a “Silver Honorable Mention” for “Best Retirement Living Residence” for the entire Boston MetroWest region. The awards were published in a special edition of the Community Newspaper Company local weekly newspapers, including the Concord Journal, in June 2008.

Nancy Crowley, Executive Director of Concord Park, said, “We are honored that the residents of Concord and our neighboring towns voted us Number One. The tribute really goes to my excellent staff who strive day in and day out to do the very best that we can for our residents.”

She added, “Concord Park is a warm and vibrant senior community with a mission of enhancing the quality of life of our residents. While we foster independence in a socially active environment, our compassionate, professional staff is always ready with a helping hand – to prepare meals, clean apartments, do laundry and to assist with personal needs and medication reminders. We try very hard to maintain an atmosphere where each resident’s individuality, dignity, independence and privacy are respected at all times.”

Concord Park also enjoys high resident satisfaction. In the most recent survey just published in June, over 90% of Concord Park residents and their families who responded to the survey said that they are very satisfied or satisfied with the quality of life and the quality of services at Concord Park. And 87% said that they feel comfortable recommending Concord Park to a friend or family member. The vast majority of residents (93%) feel that they are treated with dignity and respect and that their privacy is respected. In Concord Park’s residential Memory Support Neighborhood which offers Alzheimer’s care, 100% of families who responded to the survey feel the same way about their loved ones.

Concord Park, located in the heart of the West Concord shopping village, offers local seniors Independent Living, Assisted Living and a residential Memory Support Neighborhood for those with Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. Concord Park was established by the nonprofit Volunteers of America, Massachusetts and is managed by Senior Living Residences. For more information, call 978-369-4728 or visit http://www.ConcordPark.net.

SLR Executive Director Wins “Super Star” Award from Professional Association

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

SLR Executive Director Wins “Super Star” Award from Professional Association

May 2008

Mike LeBrun, Executive Director of Cape Cod Senior Residences in Bourne, MA, won a top award in the Massachusetts assisted living industry. On May 12, 2008 at the Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association (Mass-ALFA) Annual Awards Dinner, Mr. LeBrun received the “SuperStar” award in the “Executive Director” category.

He had been nominated by his staff for his exemplary performance as Executive Director, specifically his leadership strength, ability to foster teamwork and dedication to improving the lives of his residents.

During the presentation, Mr. LeBrun was honored for motivating his staff by working diligently and creatively to better the lives of his residents. He is credited with obtaining grants and community donations to fund the “extras” at Cape Cod Senior Residences, including a Victory Garden with raised planting beds, a large screen plasma TV and a Bocce court.

But, more importantly, Mr. LeBrun was honored for “changing lives and making memories.” His management style was characterized by his focus on important adages - “Treat the residents as you would want your family member to be treated” and “Look beyond the problem and search for the solution.” One staff member wrote, “Mike combines professionalism with patience and reminds us to take care of ourselves so we in turn can provide the residents with what he truly believes they deserve – the best!”

Cape Cod Senior Residences is located in Pocasset, MA on the grounds of the former Barnstable County Hospital, just off County Road. The community offers Independent Senior Apartments and personalized Assisted Living, allowing residents to stay within the same campus as their needs change over time. This unique 100% affordable community is open to seniors 65 years or older whose incomes are at or below 60% of the area median income. For more information, call 508-564-4474 or visit http://www.CapeCodSeniorResidences.com.

Nancy Crowley Wins Unsung Heroine Honor

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As reported in The Concord Journal on April 10, 2008 - click here to view the full article.

Concord - The instructions said to check the box that best applies to the candidate. The options were volunteer service, extraordinary effort beyond job description, involvement and organizing within her community, promoting business involvement for community service and innovations and ideas.

Unable to select just one, state Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, checked each box on the form she used to nominate Nancy Crowley as a Community Unsung Heroine. “Nancy Crowley represents the very essence of Concord’s community,” Atkins wrote on the nomination.

Crowley, executive director of Concord Park and an active member of Concord’s volunteer corps, is one of 286 women honored as Community Unsung Heroines of 2008 by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. The Concord resident was chosen from a pool of nearly 600 to be recognized for outstanding contributions to her organizations and communities. A ceremony for the Unsung Heroines will be held Wednesday, May 14, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the State House in Boston.

“I was taken aback. Very humbled,” Crowley said of the honor. “There are so many women in this town who do wonderful things.”

A registered nurse, Crowley has worked extensively with local seniors with healthcare in their homes, nursing homes and hospital settings. Then, as a staff development coordinator at a long-term community she was asked to take Alzheimer’s training and start a program. Just over six years ago, Crowley opened Concord Park, a community of Massachusetts Assisted Living that is affiliated with Volunteers of America. Her role as executive director she considers to be like the culmination of her work with the Council on Aging, Alzheimer’s and business.

“I just fell into it and realized how much I began to have a passion for working with the population with Alzheimer’s and dementia,” she said. “There’s so much that really can enhance their lives, and we can help their families and loved ones and caregivers.”

She is also active in many Concord committees and organizations, which she considers a different avenue to help. Crowley was just elected to the Housing Authority, is a member of the Public Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee, serves on the board at Minuteman Arc. She has held numerous other posts, including, the Council on Aging, Board of Health, Concord 2000 committees, emergency preparedness and multiple business-related volunteer organizations.

“When you volunteer, you meet a lot of wonderful people,” she said. “It’s another aspect of your life. And, it is a good feeling to give back.”

It’s not just what she does, it’s how she does it, said Atkins, who first met Crowley sometime around 1999, when Crowley was running the Alzheimer’s Clinic at the facility now called Concord Health Care.

“The way she ran that clinic was just so wonderfully humane,” Atkins said. “She treated people with so much dignity.”

Today, Atkins sees the same capacity for empathy at Concord Park, where the representative jokes she has a room reserved. “The residents who live there feel like they’re part of something,” she said.

“She just naturally, without any second thought, gets people involved in the community and the community involved with people,” Atkins said. “Nancy is just an exceptional person and she just loves Concord.”

Born and brought up in Concord, Crowley grew up in a “White Lady” alongside the prison where her father, an active volunteer in his own right, worked. She began her own volunteer work as a single mother when her two children, Scott and Megan, became involved in youth sports.

“I love my town, and I like helping out and getting involved,” said Crowley. “The town needs volunteers and there are not enough people who volunteer.”

An active volunteer in town and on-call 24/7 at Concord Park, Crowley still tries to make sure that her weekends are, in fact, her own. “I don’t have to do everything every day,” she said. “I have to space them out.”

Crowley likes to read, work in her garden, and spends time with her old nursing friends and her family — Megan, now a lawyer in Andover, and Scott now a physician’s assistant in Wrentham, who has one child.

“My family is very important to me,” she said. “I try to see them every week.”

SLR Expands Corporate Office

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Senior Living Residences is expanding its corporate office with the addition of two newly created professional positions. Seth Dudley has joined SLR as Vice President for Business Development and Erin Whalen serves as SLR Alzheimer’s Care Specialist.

Seth comes to SLR from Benchmark Assisted Living of Massachusetts where he was recognized for leadership and financial results as Executive Director for four Benchmark communities (Evans Park at Newton Corner, MA, Tatnuck Park at Worcester, MA, Greystone Farm at Salem, NH and The Birches at Concord, NH). He started his career in assisted living at Hearthstone Alzheimer Care of Massachusetts as Executive Director of Hearthstone at New Horizons in Marlboro, MA and as Program Director for Hearthstone at Heights Crossing in Brockton, MA. He is currently pursuing his MBA from the Erickson School.

Erin has over 10 years experience in the Alzheimer’s care field in activity programming, research, care consultation and public education. She will oversee the development and implementation of SLR’s Alzheimer’s treatment programs in its five Memory Support Neighborhoods in Massachusetts. She comes to SLR from the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center which conducts cutting edge research into Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to that she managed public education efforts, including the 24-hour telephone Helpline, for the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association.

Standish Village Employee Wins Prestigious Alzheimer's Care Award

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

BOSTON—Emma Daniels, a certified nursing assistant at Standish Village at Lower Mills, received the 2008 OPIE Award from the Massachusetts Alliance of Alzheimer Program Directors on December 12, 2008, for her exemplary service while working with residents in the community’s Memory Support Neighborhood.

Each year, the OPIE, which stands for Outstanding Performance in Excellence, is awarded to a direct care worker who demonstrates exceptional service in assisted living, long-term care or adult day health.

Since starting at Standish Village five years ago, Ms. Daniels has demonstrated a commitment to helping residents with memory impairments live the best life possible by involving them in daily activities that stimulate cognitive function, promote physical and psychological well-being, increase positive emotions and improve self-esteem.

“Emma is truly deserving of this year’s OPIE award,” said Brooke Patterson, Memory Support Program Director at Standish Village. “She has shown great dedication to the memory support residents here at Standish Village. From the start, Emma has worked tirelessly with residents, families and staff members to promote a caring environment. Her knowledge, understanding and support have contributed greatly to our level of service, and we are very proud to have her here.”

Owned and managed by Senior Living Residences (SLR) of Boston, MA, Standish Village at Lower Mills features personalized Assisted Living and a specialized Memory Support Neighborhood providing care for those with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. The community offers seniors a secure enriching lifestyle with gracious accommodations, 24-hour supportive services, and many amenities at reasonable monthly rates.

For more information visit www.StandishVillage.com or call 617-298-5656.

SLR Presents HBO Documentary Series on Alzheimer's

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Boston – Senior Living Residences (“SLR”), a Boston-based company with a reputation as a leader in providing Alzheimer’s care to New England seniors, has partnered with HBO in an ambitious grassroots public education campaign to shine a spotlight on Alzheimer’s disease. In an effort to inform the public, spur discussion, and excite individuals to participate in the search for a cure, SLR’s assisted living communities will air HBO’s groundbreaking four-part documentary series, The Alzheimer’s Project, for local audiences in private viewings in Boston, Cambridge, Concord and Methuen throughout the month of May.

The Alzheimer’s Project premieres on May 10th on HBO in association with the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association. The films are executive produced by Maria Shriver, the First Lady of California, whose father is currently battling Alzheimer’s.

“Senior Living Residences is proud to be a partner with HBO’s Alzheimer’s Project Coalition and to be among the select group of national organizations and individual companies working to advance Alzheimer’s education, care and research,” said Robert Larkin, President of SLR.

Senior Living Residences’ communities will screen the films and host follow-up discussions for the general public on the following dates:

The Memory Loss Tapes - An intimate look into the lives of seven individuals living with Alzheimer’s, each in an advancing state of dementia across the full spectrum of the progression of the disease.

Wednesday, May 27 at 5:30pm at Concord Park, 68 Commonwealth Ave., Concord MA
Thursday, May 28 at 6:00pm at Methuen Village, 4 Gleason St., Methuen, MA

Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? - A film for children narrated by and featuring Maria Shriver that introduces viewers to seven children learning to understand and cope with their grandparent’s illness.

Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00pm at Concord Park, 68 Commonwealth Ave., Concord MA

Caregivers - Seen through the lens of five individuals caring for family members suffering from the disease, this film conveys the sacrifices and successes of people who experience their loved ones’ gradual descent into dementia.
Tuesday, May 19 at 6:30pm at Neville Place, 650 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA
Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00pm at Standish Village, 1190 Adams St., Boston, MA

Momentum in Science – A state-of-the science report that takes viewers inside the laboratories and clinics of 24 leading scientists and physicians, revealing some of the most cutting-edge research advances made in curing the disease.
Thursday, May 21 at 7:00pm at The Cambridge Homes, 360 Mount Auburn St.,
Cambridge, MA

Today, Alzheimer’s disease is the second most-feared illness in America, following cancer, and may affect as many as five million Americans. As the baby-boom generation reaches retirement, that number could soar to more than 11 million by 2040 and have a huge economic impact on America’s already fragile healthcare system. Regardless of age, race, ethnicity or sex, Alzheimer’s is an issue that touches us all.

To view the four-part documentary series, click here.

SLR manages five Memory Support Neighborhoods in eastern Massachusetts – The BayView and Standish Village in Boston; Concord Park in West Concord; Methuen Village in Methuen; and Neville Place in Cambridge. The cornerstone of SLR’s care approach is research-based innovation leading to the creation of services that are strategically designed to sustain cognitive function. SLR has put a variety of research-driven programs in place in its Alzheimer care communities, including diets that support memory function, extensive focus on social interaction and wellness, and pharmacological assessments, to provide residents with a level of high-quality care that is not found at other communities. Through SLR’s partnership with academic institutions, including the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, and allied professionals SLR continues to be an innovator in providing state-of-the-art care to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

SLR Wins Reader's Choice Award

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Boston, MA – The votes are in and it is official: Senior Living Residences (SLR) provides the best senior housing and care for local seniors, according to those in the community. The annual Readers’ Choice Awards have named three of SLR’s independent and assisted living communities as winners this year: Concord Park, The Cambridge Homes and Cape Cod Senior Residences in Bourne.

Concord Park and Cape Cod Senior Residences were voted the number one choices, and The Cambridge Homes received honorable mention, each in the category of Retirement Living Residences. Concord Park was further distinguished as the regional silver award recipient in the same category.

“To be acknowledged for the work we do and the services we provide is an honor. To have that acknowledgement bestowed upon us by the communities we serve is an even higher honor and one of which we are extremely proud. These awards are a testament to our unwavering focus on providing the very best care to seniors in New England,” said Bob Larkin, president of SLR.

SLR is committed to establishing and maintaining the highest quality of life for each resident. Through an affiliation with Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center and other leading organizations, SLR is able to implement innovative, research-based programs that have proven to be effective in the care of seniors. SLR also has a reputation for hiring and retaining the very best healthcare professionals, making it a trusted leader in the community.

The Readers’ Choice Awards gives readers the chance to have their voices heard about favorite local places, services and businesses. Readers have a chance to submit their nominations in more than 80 different categories. After voting is complete, the results are tallied and reported by an independent firm.

About Senior Living Residences

Since 1990, Senior Living Residences has created service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. Fervently adhering to its “Right Values” —Resident Quality of Life, Valued Employees, Integrity and Innovation—SLR continues to be a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services, as well as its high staff retention. Partnering with equally committed organizations, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. For more information on this or our other innovative programs and services, please contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

Senior Living Residences Launches Innovative Nutrition Program

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Boston (September 14, 2009) - When asked, Americans rate Alzheimer’s disease as their second most-feared illness, following cancer. Currently, there are five million people living with this disease in the United States. Recent research suggests that diet may play an important role in the cause and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, indicating that there may be something each of us can do to stave off this devastating illness.

For the past two years Senior Living Residences (SLR), a Boston-based company with a reputation as a leader in providing Alzheimer’s care to New England seniors, has been implementing a cognitively protective diet and nutrition program at its independent and assisted living communities. Following a research-based model of treatment and care and placing a strong emphasis on innovation, SLR is the first assisted living company in the nation to offer the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program in its communities.

The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, developed by and implemented in conjunction with internationally recognized expert Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, adjunct research assistant professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine and president of Health Care Insights, LLC, is a unique evidence-based program incorporating foods and spices, specifically selected for their nutrient-rich properties and linked in research to healthy cognition, into everyday diet to improve overall brain health.

Integrating information from hundreds of studies looking at the connections between diet, cognitive health, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease and its related risk factors, the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program seeks to improve brain function, decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease for an individual who has already been diagnosed.

In August, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported findings from a compelling study describing a direct connection between diet and cognitive health. One of the most comprehensive studies on diet and cognition to date, researchers found that individuals who follow a “Mediterranean-type diet” have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, individuals who adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 32-40 percent decreased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. In the same study, adherence to the diet combined with physical activity resulted in a 61-67 percent risk reduction for developing the disease.

Robert Larkin, president of Senior Living Residences said, “This major study reinforces what we have been working on for the last two years in providing our residents with the health benefits of the Memory Preservation Nutrition ® program. Our program implementation, which is truly ahead of the curve, includes all of the basic elements of the well-known and well-documented Mediterranean diet and goes well beyond it with its cognitive health protective factors.”

Details About the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program

The main foods that are indicated through the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, specific spices, whole grains, and foods containing omega-three fatty acids. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program also focuses on reducing cholesterol and substituting healthy fats (omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats) for saturated and Trans fats foods. Another major feature of the program is reducing the amount of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the overall diet. All of the healthy foods featured by the MPN™ in the right combinations provide the body with important disease-fighting antioxidants, nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties and also help to regulate blood sugar. These changes are all important for brain health.

Dr. Emerson Lombardo says that diet changes that are made through the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program can benefit people of any age whether or not they have memory loss. She states, “Individuals researching Alzheimer’s disease believe changes and damage in the brain begins well before there are any symptoms of the disease. Following the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, even if you are not noticing changes to your memory, can be an important step to take to protect your own brain health. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program becomes even more important for those already experiencing problems. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® works in part by promoting overall body health. It is never too late to intervene. SLR communities’ talented chefs have done an outstanding job of following Memory Preservation Nutrition® guidelines to create their own new delicious recipes and the residents love the food.”

About Senior Living Residences
Since 1990, Senior Living Residences of Boston, MA has created service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services, which exceed industry standards, as well as its high staff retention. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

About Health Care Insights, LLC
Founded by Nancy B. Emerson Lombardo, PhD, HealthCare Insights, LLC, is an organization dedicated to research and educational efforts designed to (1) help people of all ages protect and promote their brain health, (2) improve the overall health and well-being of seniors and specifically reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other brain problems, (3) help people recover from, or slow down, brain problems, (4) improve the life and well-being of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and their family and professional care partners and (5) end health care disparities in the U.S. and elsewhere, especially as they pertain to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Dr. Emerson Lombardo has worked for more than 25 years in the fields of Alzheimer’s disease and services for older adults. She is a founder of both the national Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Disease International, and a member of the International Academy of Nutrition and Aging and the Gerontological Society of America. During the past decade she has developed lifestyle interventions to promote brain health, and to improve quality of life for older adults. For more information, contact Dr. Emerson Lombardo at 978-621-1926 or online at http://healthcareinsights.net.

SLR Opens New Community in Hopkinton

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

AS SEEN ON HOPNEWS.COM

July 28, 2010, Hopkinton – Senior Living Residences (SLR), a local Massachusetts assisted living company, has announced the opening of Compass at Hopkinton offering research-based treatment for the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in a residential-style assisted living setting. Compass at Hopkinton is located within the well-established Golden Pond Assisted Living campus in Hopkinton on West Main Street just off Routes 495, 9 and the MassPike.

SLR’s Compass Memory Support takes a completely new approach in the assisted living industry by actually treating the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Compass at Hopkinton serves individuals with diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and other memory related disorders, as well as those individuals exhibiting the early symptoms of memory loss – often diagnosed as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). MCI is marked by memory loss and mild confusion, and is often described as the stage between forgetfulness associated with normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Attentive family members may notice the early warning signs of memory loss or dementia: repeating questions; unnecessary worrying about small matters; difficulty following medication instructions; misplacing or not paying bills; and reduced interest in socializing and hobbies. SLR’s innovative research-based programs are designed to treat this group of seniors, and potentially delay the progression of their dementia.

Tadd Clelland, SLR Principal, said, “Residents here benefit from SLR’s research-based treatment programming developed by Alzheimer’s experts in consultation with clinicians and faculty at the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center. We offer a curriculum-based learning program called Reconnections, a state-of-the-art Respite Program for seniors with memory loss who need to recuperate following a hospital stay, medication assessments with a geriatric-specialized pharmacist, and a “brain-healthy” Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program, which was developed by internationally recognized Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, one of the co-founders of the Alzheimer’s Association.

William Marr, Executive Director of Golden Pond Assisted Living, said, “We are thrilled to have Senior Living Residences and Compass Memory Support on board at our community. We have strived over the last 20 years to offer the benefits of a residential-style assisted living setting to seniors with unmet needs, and to look for cutting edge solutions for those needs. Compass Memory Support completely aligns with our mission by serving seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This population in our area now has access to state-of-the-art treatment for their memory loss in a supportive nurturing environment that also provides all of the services of traditional assisted living, such as personal care and medication management.”

Compass at Hopkinton will serve seniors throughout the metro west area of Massachusetts, including the towns of Hopkinton, Marlboro, Framingham, Southborough, Westborough, Northborough, Ashland, Upton, Milford, Shrewsbury, as well as the Worcester area.

Alzheimer’s disease, which currently affects 5 million Americans, is expected to rise steadily until it reaches epidemic proportions by 2050. The health care industry anticipates that the sheer numbers of seniors who will have difficulties with memory loss and need assistance in the coming decade could overwhelm medical resources. The majority of these seniors will also need service-enhanced housing.

Paul Raia, Ph.D., Vice President, Clinical Services of the Alzheimer’s Association, MA/NH Chapter, said, “There is an accumulating body of evidence showing that while there is yet no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are effective treatments for symptoms. There is also evidence that the progression of the symptoms of dementia can be slowed with a combination of life-style interventions and medications. We are at the cusp of a culture change in assisted living that goes beyond the original notion of providing assistance with the tasks of daily living to a new expectation of treatment for the symptoms of this disease."

SLR has implemented Compass Memory Support programming in five other assisted living communities in Massachusetts: Compass on the Bay and Standish Village in Boston; Concord Park in Concord; Methuen Village in downtown Methuen; and Neville Place in Cambridge.

About Senior Living Residences: Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”— Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. Senior Living Residences has been on the cutting edge of programming and management of assisted living residences for the last 20 years. SLR currently manages ten communities, two of which it owns. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

Methuen Village Manager Receives “Community Service” Award

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Methuen, MA - Methuen Village Assisted Living is proud to announce that Kathleen Corey Rahme, the community’s Social Program Director, is the recipient of the 2010 Community Service Award granted by the Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association (Mass ALFA).

Each year Mass ALFA presents this award to one special nominee, chosen for their exemplary outreach within and beyond the assisted living community in which they work. There are over 200 assisted living communities in the state of Massachusetts. All of them had an opportunity to nominate their best candidate, and Kathleen Corey Rahme proved to be the well-deserving beneficiary of the award.

Kathleen is passionate about making connections, forming partnerships, and discovering what folks have in common. She runs the Methuen Youth Corps, which is a volunteer organization. For several years, she has disseminated information on volunteer opportunities for youth, adults, seniors, organizations, and families in Methuen. Methuen Village residents are now able to participate with the Youth Corps to make a difference.

Methuen Village is a fairly new community (opened in March ’09), and thus all 90 of the residents have felt the feeling of being the "new person on the block" over the course of the last year. Kathleen has worked to create a culture in which every individual is not only welcomed into their new home, but she facilitates connections between the new residents and others that live there. She connects their family histories (i.e. Ruth's husband worked for this resident years ago), their passions (Ben played in a polka band that Eleanor used to see perform), and their life stories from the beginning to where they are now (she can even be a little bit of a matchmaker!).

The staff and residents alike feel lucky to have Kathleen as the community’s Social Program Director, and are thrilled that her extraordinary service to the community has been recognized by Mass ALFA with this honor. For more information about Methuen Village, or to schedule a tour, call 978-685-2220 or visit the community’s website www.MethuenVillage.com.

Compass on the Bay in Boston Celebrates "Grand Unveiling"

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Compass on the Bay, a state-of-the-art free-standing Memory Support Assisted Living community serving Boston and South Shore seniors with Alzheimer’s disease celebrated its “Grand Unveiling” this past week. Senior Living Residences (SLR), a Boston-based assisted living company, considers Compass on the Bay its flagship Alzheimer’s care community, the first to fully implement its “Compass Memory Support Neighborhood” program: research-based treatment of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in the residential-style assisted living setting.

Compass on the Bay, located overlooking Carson Beach with views of the JFK Presidential Library, has just undergone a $3 million renovation which created new indoor and outdoor living spaces and an expansive new front porch. The community now offers a state-of-the-art living environment for seniors with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory impairment.

On Thursday evening, SLR welcomed elder care professionals, local business owners, and community leaders to a Grand Unveiling event, at which guests toured the newly renovated community and observed for themselves SLR’s Alzheimer’s care difference. Representing the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, with which SLR is partnered, was Dr.Nancy Emerson Lombardo, one of the co-founders of the National Alzheimer’s Association. Also in attendance were Nick Collins, Democratic nominee for State Representative of the Fourth Suffolk District, who won the Democratic Primary just days before; his father, James Collins, a former state legislator; and an estimated 60 elder-care professionals, all with great appreciation for SLR’s cutting-edge Compass Memory Support programming. In addition, the team behind the renovation celebrated the culmination of their hard work and vision; David Udelsman, architect on the project, H&H Builders of Dorchester, general contactor, and Art Currier of Currier & Associates, interior designer, all were in attendance.

Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo, adjunct research professor at BU and President of HealthCare Insights, LLC, had this to say about the event: “Senior Living Residences is to be congratulated on a successful renovation of the former BayView to create a beautiful and functional Compass on the Bay, to provide state of-the-art residential treatment for individuals with memory loss. As a faculty member with the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BUADC), I salute Tadd Clelland, Bob Larkin, and their talented team at Compass and Senior Living Residences for continuously improving a multi-dimensional treatment program including nutrition, learning/cognitive therapy, physical exercise and much more, all based on the latest research evidence. Through Senior Living Residences’ affiliation with the BUADC, SLR is kept abreast of the current science, but also has access to medical assessments and treatment, and opportunities to participate in ongoing research studies.”

SLR’s Compass Memory Support takes a completely new approach in the assisted living industry by actually treating the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The new community, Compass on the Bay, is also unique in that it addresses the needs of seniors exhibiting the early symptoms of memory loss – often diagnosed as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). MCI is marked by memory loss and mild confusion, and is often described as the stage between forgetfulness associated with normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Attentive family members may notice the early warning signs of memory loss or dementia: repeating questions; unnecessary worrying about small matters; difficulty following medication instructions; misplacing or not paying bills; and reduced interest in socializing and hobbies. SLR’s innovative research-based programs are designed to treat this group of seniors, and potentially delay the progression of their dementia.

At Compass on the Bay those individuals with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other memory related disorders reside in the community’s secure Compass Memory Support Neighborhood. Benefiting from the same type of programming, residents thrive in this smaller environment, with an exceptionally high staff-to-resident ratio.

Tadd Clelland, SLR Principal, manages the daily operations of Compass on the Bay. He said, “Residents of Compass on the Bay benefit from SLR’s research-based non-pharmacological treatment programming, including the “brain-healthy” Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program, developed by internationally recognized Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD. SLR, the only assisted living company in the nation to offer this program, has developed a wide repertoire of recipes based on the principles of the Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program. Other initiatives include a curriculum-based learning program called Reconnections, a comprehensive Respite Stay program for seniors with mild memory loss, medication assessments with a geriatric-specialized pharmacist in an effort to avoid hospitalizations, and a Lifetime Achievement award program designed to combat the isolation and anonymity experienced by seniors with memory loss.”

SLR has implemented Compass Memory Support programming in five other assisted living communities with Memory Support Neighborhoods that SLR owns and/or manages in Massachusetts: Compass at Golden Pond, Hopkinton, MA; Concord Park, Concord, MA; Methuen Village, Methuen, MA; Neville Place, Cambridge, MA and Standish Village, Boston, MA.

About Senior Living Residences: Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”— Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. Senior Living Residences has been on the cutting edge in terms of their programming and management of assisted living residences for the last 20 years. SLR currently manages 10 assisted living communities, 2 of which it owns. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

New SLR Community in Boston Features Memory Support Assisted Living

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Senior Living Residences (SLR), a Boston-based assisted living company, has announced the opening of Compass on the Bay, a state-of-the-art free-standing Memory Support Assisted Living community located in Boston. This new community, formerly The BayView Assisted Living, is SLR’s flagship Alzheimer’s care community in which the company has fully implemented its “Compass Memory Support” program- research-based treatment of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in the residential-style assisted living setting.

Compass on the Bay, located overlooking Carson Beach with views of the JFK Presidential Library, has just undergone a $3 million renovation which created new indoor and outdoor living spaces and a new front exterior. The community now offers a state-of-the-art living environment for seniors with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Tadd Clelland, SLR Principal, manages the daily operations of Compass on the Bay. He said, “Residents of Compass on the Bay benefit from SLR’s research-based non-pharmacological treatment programming, including the “brain-healthy” Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program, developed by internationally recognized Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, one of the co-founders of the Alzheimer’s Association. SLR, the only assisted living company in the nation to offer this program, has developed a wide repertoire of recipes based on the principles of the Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program. Other initiatives include a curriculum-based learning program called Reconnections, a state-of-the-art Respite Stay program for seniors with mild memory loss, medication assessments with a geriatric-specialized pharmacist in an effort to avoid hospitalizations, and a Lifetime Achievement award program designed to combat the isolation and anonymity experienced by seniors with memory loss.”

Robert Larkin, President of SLR, said, “Based on our years of experience in senior housing we knew there was a better way to provide care for individuals with dementia. Compass Memory Support is the result of conducting extensive research, and partnering with leading academics and clinicians, including the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center. We have a compelling story to tell and have received rave reviews of our programming from health care professionals in our area.”

Paul Raia, Ph.D., Vice President, Clinical Services of the Alzheimer’s Association, MA/NH Chapter, said, “There is an accumulating body of evidence showing that while there is yet no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are effective treatments for the symptoms associated with the disease. There is also evidence that the progression of the symptoms of dementia can be slowed with a combination of life-style interventions and medications. We are at the cusp of a culture change in assisted living that goes beyond the original notion of providing assistance with the tasks of daily living to a new expectation of treatment for the symptoms of this disease."

SLR has implemented Compass Memory Support programming in four other assisted living communities with Memory Support Neighborhoods that SLR owns and/or manages in Massachusetts: Concord Park, Concord, MA; Methuen Village, Methuen, MA; Neville Place, Cambridge, MA and Standish Village, Boston, MA.

About Senior Living Residences: Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”— Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. Senior Living Residences has been on the cutting edge in terms of their programming and management of assisted living residences for the last 20 years. SLR currently manages 9 assisted living communities, 2 of which it owns. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

SLR Makes Donation to Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

November 19, 2010, Boston, MA – Committed to being an industry leader not only in Alzheimer’s assisted living care, but also in research towards better treatment and an eventual cure for Alzheimer’s disease, Senior Living Residences (SLR) and its Compass Memory Support Assisted Living communities donated $7,500 to its academic affiliate, the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BUADC).

The BUADC is one of 30 centers funded by the National Institute on Aging to make research advances that will improve the care and treatment for people with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as seek ways to prevent the disease process, and to find an eventual cure.

Senior Living Residences is a local Boston-based company with a reputation as a leader in providing Alzheimer’s care to Massachusetts seniors in its Compass Memory Support Neighborhoods. SLR’s forward-looking approach to developing treatment programs for Alzheimer’s care led the firm to a formal affiliation with the BU ADC. This unique affiliation brings state-of-the-art treatments for the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related cognitive impairments from the clinical research setting to SLR’s Compass Memory Support Neighborhoods.

The financial donation given to the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center was raised at SLR’s six Compass Memory Support communities by associates, family members and professional referral sources. Noting the importance of being part of Alzheimer’s disease research, Robert Larkin, president of Senior Living Residences said, “Our commitment to innovative treatment and care for people with Alzheimer’s disease extends beyond our own assisted living communities. We are continuously looking for ways to promote research towards better treatment and ultimately a cure for this disease. Our contribution to the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center is part of this important work."

He added, "The families we work with have told us that being a part of finding a cure has empowered them and given them a positive way to combat the sense of loss felt in loving someone with Alzheimer’s.”

PHOTO ABOVE: Members of the Senior Living Residences (SLR) team present the company’s financial donation to the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BUADC). The monies will help advance the BUADC’s research efforts toward finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. From left to right: Jamie McWilliam, Executive Director of Neville Place, a Senior Living Residences (SLR) community; Robert Larkin, President of SLR; Eric Steinberg, Alzheimer’s Clinical Consultant to SLR and manager of the HOPE Research Study at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BUADC); Tadd Clelland, Executive Vice President, SLR; Dr. Robert Stern, Co-Director of BUADC; and Erin Whalen, SLR’s Alzheimer’s Care Specialist.

Compass at Hopkinton and Metrowest Alzheimer’s Partnership host “Healthy Eating for a Healthy Brain” Event

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Framingham, MA (March 25, 2011) – Research tells us that proper nutrition is essential to defending against deterioration due to age and disease. Did you know that by following a brain-healthy diet you can effectively delay the onset or progression of Alzheimer’s disease?

Senior Living Residences (SLR), a pioneer in Massachusetts’ senior living industry, is putting research to practice in its dining programs, and along with Boston University’s Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo, is working to share this vital knowledge with the public. Sponsored by SLR’s newest community Compass at Hopkinton Memory Support Assisted Living and the Metrowest Alzheimer’s Partnership, this past Thursday at the Callahan Framingham Senior Center, fifty seniors and eldercare professionals gathered to learn about the Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program. At this event, Dr. Emerson Lombardo led a high-level discussion about the unique principles and benefits of the program, while SLR’s Director of Dietary Services Kim Smith offered attendees signature brain-healthy recipes to take home.

Senior Living Residences is the first assisted living company in the nation to implement the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, developed by internationally recognized expert Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, adjunct research assistant professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine and President of HealthCare Insights, LLC.

The main foods that are recommended in the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program include:

Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables

Specific spices

Whole grains

Foods containing omega-three fatty acid

The diet also focuses on reducing cholesterol and substituting healthy fats (omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats) for saturated and trans-fats foods. Another major feature of the program is reducing the amount of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup in one’s overall diet. All of the healthy foods featured in the program in the right combinations provide the body with important disease-fighting antioxidants, nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties and also help to regulate blood sugar. These changes are all important for brain health.

To learn more about Dr. Emerson Lombardo’s brain healthy nutrition tips, or the complete Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, visit her website at www.healthcareinsights.net. To download SLR's signature recipes visit www.seniorlivingresidences.com/brain-diet.

To learn more about Compass at Hopkinton Memory Support Assisted Living, visit www.compasshopkinton.com, call 508-435-1011, or email info@compasshopkinton.com.

“Brain Healthy Eating” Tips for Baby Boomers in Celebration of National Mediterranean Diet Month

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Boston, MA (May 1, 2011) – Research tells us that proper nutrition is essential to defending against deterioration due to age and disease. But did you know that by eating a Mediterranean-style brain-healthy diet you can effectively delay the onset or progression of Alzheimer’s disease?

Scientific studies continue to show positive links between eating a Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. This is due to the Mediterranean diet’s proven positive effects on improving cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and blood vessel health, as well as reducing inflammation, all of which have been associated with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. One comprehensive study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that individuals who follow a Mediterranean-type diet had a 32-40% decreased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is especially significant as Baby Boomers -- a huge portion of the population – are moving into their golden years when cognitive decline is common.

Senior Living Residences (SLR), a pioneer in assisted living and Alzheimer’s care in New England, is putting research to practice in its dining programs, and along with internationally recognized nutrition expert Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD of Boston University’s School of Medicine, is working to share this vital knowledge with the public.

In recognition of Mediterranean Diet Month, SLR is releasing nutrition guidelines and recipes from the Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program developed over the last five years in conjunction with Dr. Emerson Lombardo. SLR is the first and only assisted living company in the nation to offer a cognitively-protective nutrition program in its assisted living and Alzheimer’s care “Compass Memory Support Neighborhood” communities.

Dr. Emerson Lombardo says the message to Baby Boomers is clear – it’s not too late. “Diet changes can benefit individuals of any age, whether or not you have memory loss. Following the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program can be an important step to take to protect your own brain health.”

Eat these brain-healthy foods to stave off dementia.

Fresh fruits, especially brightly colored fruits, such as blueberries and raspberries. Berry compounds counteract inflammation in the body, which has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, for their high levels of vitamins E and D, and dietary fiber. Eaten on a regular basis, vegetables have a positive effect on brain health and help prevent age-related illnesses.
Specific spices that have amazing protective properties – cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, and turmeric reduce inflammation and increase blood flow. Cinnamon is also known to regulate blood sugar and reduce cholesterol, important to brain health.
Whole grains. Substituting whole wheat products for white flour, bread, rice and pasta helps to maintain weight and improve cardiovascular health which directly contributes to brain health.
Foods containing omega-three fatty acids. Omega-3s are naturally found in your brain and as you age levels of these fats in your body drop. Food sources of omega-3s such as fish, green vegetables, walnuts and flax seed replace the losses and improve transmission of nerve impulses.
A handful of nuts a day as a snack provides your daily dose of Vitamin E - which is a powerful protector of the brain.
Use stevia, a natural sugar substitute, as well as molasses and brown sugar, instead of high fructose corn syrup and refined sugar, to control blood sugar. The hippocampus of the brain, an important region for memory, is sensitive to changes in blood sugar levels.

Robert Larkin, president of Senior Living Residences said, “When asked, Americans rate Alzheimer’s disease as their second most-feared illness, following cancer. We understand that fear but want to convey a message of hope – you can take practical steps to protect your brain health through nutrition at any age.”

For more brain healthy nutrition tips and delicious recipes, and to order a sample of SLR’s own unique spice blend “Spice of Life” - a delicious mixture of spices, fruits, and vegetables with health protecting properties - visit www.SeniorLivingResidences.com/brain-diet. To learn more about the innovative Alzheimer’s care programming being implemented at SLR’s Compass Memory Support Neighborhood communities visit www.seniorlivingresidences.com/alzheimers-care.

Compass at Hopkinton, a New Assisted Living Community Specializing in Alzheimer's Care for Metrowest and Worcester County, Celebrates Grand Opening

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Hopkinton, MA (March 7, 2011) – Compass at Hopkinton, a state-of-the-art Memory Support Assisted Living community serving seniors with memory loss throughout the Metrowest area and Worcester County, celebrated its Grand Opening on March 3rd. The new 40-apartment community features several bright and open community areas including a sun/art room, living room, dining room with stone fireplace, and cafe.

Senior Living Residences (SLR), a Boston-based assisted living company that owns and operates the new community, takes a new approach by actually treating the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Compass at Hopkinton is also unique in that it addresses the needs of seniors exhibiting the early symptoms of memory loss – often called Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), as well as those with diagnosed Alzheimer’s. MCI is marked by memory loss and mild confusion, and is often described as the stage between forgetfulness associated with normal aging and Alzheimer’s. SLR’s innovative research-based programs are designed to treat this group of seniors, and potentially delay the progression of their dementia.

Tadd Clelland, Executive Director of Compass at Hopkinton, and an SLR principal, said, “Our team has 20 years of experience serving Massachusetts seniors with memory loss. We are excited to bring our research-based Compass Memory Support Neighborhood treatment program to the MetroWest area, to help meet the growing need for top-notch dignified residential care for individuals with dementia.”

Alzheimer’s disease currently affects 5 million Americans. Research shows that already 10 percent of those over age 65 and 50 percent of those over 85 have memory loss. Given increasing life expectancy, approximately half of families will be caring for a loved one with the disease in the future.

At the Grand Opening local elder care professionals, community leaders and the general public toured the newly renovated community, which is located within the well-established Golden Pond Assisted Living campus in Hopkinton, and observed for themselves SLR’s Alzheimer’s care difference.

Representing the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, with which SLR is formerly affiliated, was Dr. Robert Stern, co-Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Clinical Program. Dr. Stern said, “Senior Living Residences is one of the most innovative and expert senior living and Alzheimer’s care organizations around the country and I am proud to be affiliated with them. I salute their talented team for the multi-dimensional treatment program they have developed which includes nutrition, learning/cognitive therapy, and physical exercise, all based on the latest research. Through our affiliation, the BU’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center helps to keep SLR abreast of the current science, and provides residents living in SLR’s Compass Memory Support Neighborhoods with access to medical assessments and treatment, and opportunities to participate in important research studies.”

For More Information about Compass at Hopkinton:

Robert Larkin, President of Senior Living Residences, welcomes anyone from the Metrowest area and Worcester County who is currently caring for a family member with memory loss to take a look at the new community. He said, “Our Guest Program will accommodate you and your family member with memory loss as our guests for a full day – your loved one will be immersed in all programming, including our innovative adult-learning Reconnections Program, spend time with our professionally-trained caring associates, and try out our delicious “brain healthy” meals.”

The general public can call 508-435-1011 or email info@CompassHopkinton.com to schedule a tour or full-day Guest Program. “Drop in” Open Houses are held every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am - 2 pm. Compass at Hopkinton is located within the Golden Pond Assisted Living campus in Hopkinton at 50 West Main Street, just off Route 495 and near Rt. 9 and the Mass Pike. www.CompassHopkinton.com

SLR Receives National Spirit of Innovation Award

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Click here to view Best Practice Case Study Overview: SLR's Social Media Program

June, 2011 - Senior Living Residences (SLR) is proud to announce that it is has earned the Long Term Care (LTC) LINK Spirit of Innovation Award for its social media program. The award, which will be presented to SLR at the 7th Annual LTC LINK Conference, recognizes companies for their innovation, dedication to continuous improvement, development of best practices, and commitment to the success of the long term care industry.

SLR will present its case study on its social media efforts encompassing blogs, Facebook, You Tube and Twitter at the 2011 LTCLINK event this July 25-27 at the Swissotel Chicago.

"The goal of the Spirit of Innovation Award is to help advance business productivity and foster innovation in long term care. This year’s winners have not only developed unusually successful business initiatives but have also demonstrated a willingness to share their great ideas with others in support of this mission," said Scott Brown, Vice President and Conference Director for LTC LINK.

Winners were selected based on a number of factors, including level of innovation, feasibility and business impact.

Robert Larkin, President of SLR said, ”Senior Living Residences’ (SLR) web site (www.SeniorLivingResidences.com) and our social media marketing connects us with residents and their families, prospective customers, key influencers including eldercare professionals and leaders in the Alzheimer’s field, and potential business partners and investors. Our Alzheimer’s Care Blog (alzcareblog.com), highlighted in 2010 as one of the top 10 blogs about Alzheimer’s in the US is the bedrock of our social communications platform. The blog positions SLR staff as experts, highlights the company’s strategic academic affiliations and innovative Dementia treatment programming, and provides a wealth of information for family caregivers.”

LINK is an efficient venue for senior care executives to learn best practices that drive profitability, quality and growth. The LINK program offers 19 educational sessions, including case studies from the 10 LINK Spirit of Innovation Award winners, roundtable discussions and innovation focus groups.

LINK is open to senior care management from organizations with revenue over $30 million. There is no fee to participate. A complimentary meeting suite and accommodations for up to three executives are included when registration is completed by June 3. For sign up information, please visit www.ltclinkconference.com or call (203) 644-1723.

About Senior Living Residences -
Senior Living Residences (SLR) is an industry leader in the creation of service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. The privately-held firm, among the founders of assisted living in New England, has been on the cutting edge of providing innovative quality programming for seniors and topnotch management services for clients for the past 20 years. Adhering to its core “Right Values”—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted name. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, and is putting research to work in its Compass Memory Support Neighborhood program. For more information: www.SeniorLivingResidences.com, 617-268-9140, info@slr-usa.com.

About LTC LINK -
LINK is a marketplace of best practices for long term care providers. With a combination of peer-to-peer education, networking and consultative meetings, it is an incredibly efficient venue for senior care executives to learn best practices that drive profitability, quality and growth. For more information and to register please contact Cynthia Montano at (203) 644-1723 / cmontano@lincolnhc.com.

About Lincoln Healthcare Events -
LTC LINK is produced by Lincoln Healthcare Events (LHE) - an independent organizer of executive leadership communities in healthcare. LHE strives to positively impact the quality and effectiveness of the U.S. healthcare system by delivering the single most valuable conference and community of healthcare executives in each of the sectors we serve. The conferences offer senior-level executives highly focused venues for understanding strategic trends, sharing best practices and building relationships.

SLR's New Web Site Design Highlighted as Case Study

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

It’s been nearly 10 years since Senior Living Residences began a working relationship with Interactive Palette…with consistently exemplary results. The Boston-based leader in the creation of housing and care options for seniors has every intention of maintaining its strong link to “Kevin McNally and his talented staff.”

“Interactive Palette was recommended to us by our computer maintenance vendor many years ago based on their ability to create good-looking websites as well as for their expert technical skills,” said Lee Larkin, Director of Marketing for Senior Living Residences. “And once again they have come through with pragmatic solutions while keeping our budget in mind.”

Prominent features of the new website include a fresh new design; upgrading a robust Content Management System to allow staff at Senior Living Residences to edit content and upload images; and enhanced Search Engine Optimization to increase traffic to the website.

Interactive Palette also designed and built a mobile website for Senior Living Residences; this optimized version of the main website quickly displays on a wide variety of “smart phones” and alternative mobile platforms to provide easy access to basic information about the ten SLR communities throughout Massachusetts.

“Interactive Palette consistently performs beyond our expectations,” said Larkin. “We’re a small company but our great website helps to level the playing field with the larger assisted living firms – in fact the website that Kevin and his team have created rivals the national assisted living websites. It is visually pleasing, chockfull of information and easy to navigate and read.”

View Case Study

SLR Highlighted in WBUR Series on Alzheimer's

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

November 14, 2011 - Senior Living Residences’ President, Robert Larkin, and one of its Compass Memory Support Communities, Compass on the Bay in Boston, were highlighted in an in-depth series on Alzheimer’s disease on WBUR (90.9 FM) – Fade to Darkness. The eight-minute piece "Preparing for an Alzheimer's 'Tsunami' " was reported by Deborah Becker and featured SLR’s innovative approach to treating the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in a residential assisted living setting.

Preparing For An Alzheimer’s ‘Tsunami’ wbur.org

The COMPASS memory care approach, developed by Senior Living Residences in affiliation with the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, treats the symptoms of Alzheimer’s by putting cutting edge Alzheimer’s research into action. The WBUR story highlighted SLR’s Reconnections Program which is an adult-learning curriculum based on research that cognitive stimulation may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and that individuals with Alzheimer’s still have the ability to learn. Learning courses are focused on residents’ past and present interests, occupations and life-long experiences and help residents reconnect with the world around them.

The COMPASS philosophy is that residents should have the fullest possible sense of control over their daily lives, continue to learn, enjoy personal relationships, play a role in their own care, and live meaningful lives. This positive and optimistic approach to treating individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, which reduces reliance on behavior medications and instead utilizes unique person-centered programming to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, is what sets COMPASS apart.

The COMPASS philosophy is gaining increasing support among leading international Alzheimer’s disease researchers, as evidenced earlier this year at the 26^th International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International in Toronto, Canada. Leading researchers reported that, while rigorous studies need to be done, psychosocial interventions may be as effective in treating the symptoms of dementia as current medications, and that diet and exercise can play a major role in the prevention of dementia.

COMPASS Memory Support serves seniors with varying levels of memory loss in six assisted living communities throughout Metro Boston and the South Shore, north to Methuen and southern New Hampshire, and west to Concord, the entire Metrowest area and Worcester County. In late 2012 SLR will open a new COMPASS Memory Support Neighborhood in Westfield, MA extending our reach to western Massachusetts.

Methuen Village Social Program Director, Kathleen Corey Rahme, Wins Cable TV Award

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Methuen Community Television Takes Home National Award for Veterans Show
REPRINTED FROM THE EAGLE TRIBUNE STORY by Brian Messenger
bmessenger@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Sat Nov 12, 2011, 01:47 AM EST

METHUEN — Volunteers at Methuen Community Television know it’s often difficult for military veterans to share war stories with even their closest family members.

But since 2003, close to 100 local veterans have come to the MCTV studio to talk about their experiences in uniform for the award-winning local access show "Call to Serve."

"Some of these stories are hard for these people to tell," said MCTV Executive Director Karen Hayden. "It's really become very deep and meaningful for the guests as well as the crew."

"Call to Serve" is now airing its ninth season on MCTV. In July, the program took home a Hometown Award from the The Alliance for Community Media in Tucson, Ariz. There to accept the award was Hayden, show host Kathleen Corey Rahme, and director Paul Clover.

"I was so proud of Kathleen and the whole 'Call to Serve' crew," said Hayden. "They've worked so hard for so long and have been so dedicated to telling the stories of the veterans. To see them recognized is terrific."

Hayden said the "Call to Serve" crew will celebrate their award with local veterans tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Methuen Senior Activity Center, 77 Lowell St.

Hayden said this is just the second time an MCTV program has received a Hometown Award, which recognize excellence in local television programming.

The first award came in 2008 for volunteer Tom Gradzewicz's program on arts and crafts.

"They're hard to get," said Hayden.

The award-winning episode of "Call to Serve" featured the personal history of local U.S. Navy veteran Joseph "Buzz" Sawyer.

Hayden said "Call to Serve" is one of the more popular shows on MCTV.

"The original intent of the program was to collect these stories," said Hayden. "But it's become a whole lot more than that. There's a lot of bonding between the cast and the guests."

Follow Brian Messenger on Twitter under the screen name Brian_Messenger. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.

TUNE IN:
What: "Call to Serve"
When: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 7 p.m.
Where: MCTV, Comcast Channel 22, Verizon Channel 33

SLR’s Memory Preservation Nutrition Program Featured on Ch. 5 ABC “Chronicle”

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

November 2011 - Boston's "Chronicle" on Channel 5 ABC featured a segment on Senior Living Residences' Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program, which was developed by local Alzheimer's expert Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo. The filming took place at The Cambridge Homes on Mt. Auburn St. in Cambridge, one of only 6 assisted living communities in the U.S. (all managed by SLR) which are bringing this innovative nutrition program to their residents.

Brain Foods" TV segment on Chronicle. Here's the Link!

SLR is the first assisted living company in the nation to offer the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program incorporating select foods and spices into everyday diet to improve overall brain health. SLR developed and implemented the program in conjunction with internationally recognized expert Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD. Integrating information from hundreds of studies looking at the connections between diet, cognitive health, aging, and Alzheimer's disease and its related risk factors, the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program seeks to improve brain function, decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, and slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease for an individual who has already been diagnosed.

The main foods that are indicated through the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, specific spices, whole grains, and foods containing omega-three fatty acids. We also focus on reducing cholesterol and substituting healthy fats (omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats) for saturated and Trans fats foods. Another major feature of the program is reducing the amount of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the overall diet. All of the healthy foods featured in the program in the right combinations provide the body with important disease-fighting antioxidants, nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties and also help to regulate blood sugar. These changes are all important for brain health.

In 2009, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported findings from a compelling study describing a direct connection between diet and cognitive health. One of the most comprehensive studies on diet and cognition to date, researchers found that individuals who follow a "Mediterranean-type diet" have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. In the study, individuals who adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 32-40% decreased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. In the same study, adherence to the diet combined with physical activity resulted in a 61-67% risk reduction for developing the disease. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program includes all of the basic elements of the well-known and well-documented Mediterranean diet and goes well beyond it with its cognitive health protective factors

SLR is also affiliated with the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center and supports the Alzheimer's Association of MA/NH through its fundraising efforts.

Move Over Sugar, Make Room for Cinnamon!

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Senior Living Residences, a Leader in Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Care, Recognizes the Health Benefits of Cinnamon in Recognition of Herbs and Spice Day, June 10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Boston, MA (June 10, 2012) – It’s “Herbs and Spice Day”. Which spices will you be celebrating? Senior Living Residences (SLR), a company in Boston that specializes in Alzheimer’s care, is recommending cinnamon.

Cinnamon, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, is full of health benefits for the body and brain. It’s so good for us, in fact, that scientists actually recommend a daily dose of cinnamon – from ½ to 1 teaspoon a day! This recommendation is based on various studies that have been conducted over the last decade. (As a cautionary note: Do not exceed 3 teaspoons of cinnamon a day. In small amounts cinnamon is a healing agent; in excessive amounts it can stress the liver.)

The Science Behind SLR’s Cinnamon Recommendation

A recent preliminary study published in early 2011 is the first to actually test cinnamon’s direct effect on the brain. Researchers concluded that cinnamon could yield potential benefits against Alzheimer’s disease because of its impact on significantly decreasing the accumulation and toxic “clumping” of amyloid beta protein, the substance associated with the plaque formation and nerve destruction in Alzheimer’s disease.

Other studies, including one conducted in 2010, concluded that cinnamon has a proven positive impact on heart health and diabetes. Scientists now know that what’s good for the heart and effective at combatting diabetes is also good for the brain. This is because of the mounting evidence that heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and high cholesterol are all risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

To celebrate Herbs and Spice Day, SLR is sharing delicious cinnamon-inspired recipes created by its executive chefs, tips on how to get cinnamon into your everyday diet, and a free spice jar of SLR’s private label Saigon Cinnamon, a potent and flavorful type of cinnamon from Asia. Consumers can visit SLR’s “Brain Healthy Cooking Guide” on its web site, www.SeniorLivingResidences.com for all of this information.

Robert Larkin, president of SLR said, “When asked, Americans rate Alzheimer’s disease as their second most-feared illness, following cancer. We understand that fear but want to convey a message of hope – you can take practical steps to protect your brain health through nutrition at any age.”

SLR puts the latest research to practice every day with its brain healthy cooking program based on the guidelines of the Memory Preservation Nutrition® Program. SLR was the first senior living company in the nation to offer a cognitively-protective nutrition program in its independent living, assisted living and Alzheimer’s care “Compass Memory Support Neighborhood™” communities.

Four SLR Communities Win “Readers Choice” Regional Awards

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Boston, MA – The votes are in and it is official. Senior Living Residences (SLR) provides the best senior housing and care for local seniors, according to those surveyed in local Massachusetts towns and cities by the Gatehouse Media Group's newspapers and www.wickedlocal.com. Four of SLR's independent living, assisted living and Compass Memory Support communities are winners of the annual Readers' Choice Awards this year: The Cambridge Homes, Concord Park, Cape Cod Senior Residences, and Compass at Hopkinton.

The Cambridge Homes on Mt. Auburn Street in Cambridge was voted the number one choice in its region. Concord Park in West Concord, Cape Cod Senior Residences in Bourne, and Compass at Hopkinton in Hopkinton, received honorable mentions, each in the category of Best Retirement Living Residences.   "To be acknowledged for the work we do and the services we provide is an honor. To have that acknowledgement bestowed upon us by the communities we serve is an even higher honor and one of which we are extremely proud. These awards are a testament to our unwavering focus on providing top-notch senior care, programming and housing," said Bob Larkin, president of SLR.

SLR is committed to establishing and maintaining the highest quality of life for each resident. Through an affiliation with Boston University School of Medicine's Alzheimer's Disease Center and other leading organizations, SLR is implements innovative, research-based programs that inspire and support seniors. SLR also has a reputation for hiring and retaining the very best healthcare professionals, making it a trusted leader in the community.

The Readers' Choice Awards gives "wicked local" readers the chance to have their voices heard about favorite local places, services and businesses. Readers have a chance to submit their nominations in more than 80 different categories. After voting is complete, the results are tallied and reported by an independent firm.

About Senior Living Residences

Among the founders of assisted living in New England, Senior Living Residences has been on the cutting edge of providing innovative service-enriched independent living, assisted living and Alzheimer's care for the past 25 years. Guided by its "Right Values Mission"—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Innovation and Integrity - SLR is a trusted name in the senior care community. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine's Alzheimer's Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer's disease. For more information please contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

MAYOR KNAPIK, along with OTHER CITY and state OFFICIALS, tour ARMBROOK VILLAGE, new senior community which is on schedule to open next spring 2013

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Local officials attended the event on an extremely warm June day! From left to right: Westfield's City Advancement Officer Jeff Daley, Armbrook Village owner Michael McCarthy, Westfield City Councilor John Beltrandi, Armbrook Village Executive Director Seth Dudley, Westfield Mayor Dan Knapik.

Westfield, MA, June 20, 2012 – Armbrook Village, a new senior community under construction on North Road in Westfield, held a Hard Hat Tour on Wednesday, June 20 to showcase the building to Westfield officials and community leaders.

Mayor Daniel Knapik, who supported the project over a four-year planning and permitting process, said he is delighted that the new community, which is a major part of the revitalization effort in Westfield, is on schedule to open next Spring. “This is a great project that offers a high-end senior living campus within our city catering to the needs of our local citizens – from the independent couple who would like to downsize to the elderly individual who can benefit from supportive services.”

Armbrook Village will feature independent apartments with concierge services, service-enriched assisted living, and a state-of-the-art Compass Memory Support Neighborhood™, affiliated with Boston University’s School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, featuring research-based treatment for those with memory loss.

With the building taking shape, officials were able to get a good sense of the interior design that will include multiple dining rooms featuring restaurant-style dining, a large community room with a stage for musical performances, a Fitness Center with state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a Pub with a fireplace and bar, a Salon where residents can have their hair and nails done, a Theater with surround-sound, and an Internet Café with computers available for resident use.

Mayor Knapik noted that the project, which is locally developed and owned, will add to the tax base in Westfield and generate 100 new jobs when it opens next year, enhancing the financial strength of the City. He said, “These permanent jobs are in addition to the construction jobs the project is generating right now through a local builder, Sage Engineering & Contracting of Westfield.”

The other companies and individuals behind Armbrook Village also have strong local connections to western Massachusetts. The developer, Michael McCarthy, hails from the area. Lead financing for the project was provided by Hampden Bank of Springfield, with Clinton Savings Bank of Clinton MA, Savings Institute Bank & Trust of East

Hampton, CT, and the Springfield office of Mass Development participating in the financing. The community will be managed professionally by an investor in the project, Senior Living Residences (SLR), a Massachusetts-based company which currently owns and/or manages ten other senior communities in Massachusetts.

Also on hand to tour the building was Westfield City Councilor John Beltrandi, Westfield’s City Advancement Officer Jeff Daley, Kate Phelon from the Westfield Chamber of Commerce and Nick Powers, Regional Representative from Senator Scott Brown’s office.

As he toured the building, Jeff Daley stated, “The City of Westfield is very excited to see this project move forward. Armbrook Village is an important investment in Westfield for our residents. With its rural setting, access to major transportation routes and affordable living, this project will fit into our community wonderfully. I am sure that generations of residents and their families will enjoy the amenities at this first-class senior residence.”

Seth Dudley, who will serve as Executive Director for Armbrook Village overseeing the start-up and operations of the new community, will be on-site full-time at the end of the summer. He said, “We appreciate the warm welcome we have received from the City of Westfield and we look forward to becoming an integral part of this community and an important resource to local seniors and their families as we gear up to bring the next generation of senior housing to Westfield!”

Mr. Dudley added, “Armbrook Village will offer a world of choice to older adults who wish to maintain their independence and active lifestyle with the peace of mind knowing that help is available should they need it. He added, “I know the financial issues often feel daunting when families first start looking at senior communities, but we want people to know that there will be options available to help them make the move to Armbrook Village comfortably and within their means. Our new community will offer competitive monthly rates and, unlike other senior communities, Armbrook Village will not charge an upfront “buy-in” fee.”

The public will be able to tour several furnished Model Apartments starting in early September. Individuals who are interested in information now are encouraged to visit the community’s web site and contact Mr. Dudley: email info@ArmbrookVillage.com, phone 413-568-0000, www.ArmbrookVillage.com.

Read entire article from The Republican and The Westfield News.

Senior Living Residences' (SLR) communities rankings of Best Retirement Communities by BestRetirementDestinations.com

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Eight Senior Living Residences' (SLR) communities in Massachusetts won a place on the Top Ten Retirement Communities in Massachusetts list published by BestRetirementDestinations.com in September 2012. These include Cape Cod Senior Residences, Compass on the Bay, The Cambridge Homes, Concord Park, Nashoba Park, Neville Place, Standish Village, and JFK Apartments.

BestRetirementDestinations.com also published its national ranking of the Top 30 Assisted Living Retirement Communities in the country and three of SLR's communities made that list, including Cape Cod Senior Residences, Methuen Village, and Standish Village.

BestRetirementDestinations.com evaluates communities based on quality of personalized care, social networking, safety/security, proximity to medical care, and price range. All ranked communities have proven themselves to be well above standard considering these five critical ranking criteria. In order to get onto this list, each community was put through an intensive evaluation process.

SLR President Larkin Recognizes Their "Right Values" Mission as Award-Winning Point of Difference
"We are thrilled to have national recognition for the communities we own and manage," said Robert Larkin, President of Senior Living Residences. "Our focus on our four "Right Values"- Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Innovation and Integrity - continue to earn our company top marks in the senior housing industry."

About Senior Living Residences
Senior Living Residences (SLR) has been a leader in senior housing and care for over 20 years. The privately-held firm was among the founders of Assisted Living in New England and currently manages 11 communities through out Massachusetts. With a continued strong regional presence in New England, SLR remains committed to its founding "Right Values" mission. As a result, the firm enjoys a reputation for integrity among eldercare professionals and trust among consumers, earning the company consistently high customer satisfaction survey ratings.

Through its work with leading academic institutions and clinicians, SLR also enjoys an excellent reputation for its support of research to advance the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Formally affiliated with Boston University School of Medicine's Alzheimer's Disease Center, SLR has created Compass Memory Support Neighborhoods(TM) in 7 communities providing research-based treatment for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

The Cambridge Homes Celebrates its 125th Year Anniversary

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Toasting the 125th Anniversary of The Cambridge Homes!
(from left to right) Former Board Presidents Frank Duehay and Arch Horst, current President Dr. Robert Neer, and Helene Quinn, executive director

September 2012, Cambridge – One of Cambridge’s beloved institutions turned 125 years old this month and scores of Cambridge citizens turned out to celebrate the milestone at The Cambridge Homes anniversary gala last Thursday. The not-for-profit organization, established in 1887, has a distinguished history serving the needs of Cambridge seniors continually adapting to meeting changing needs throughout its many years of existence.

Vice Mayor Denise Simmons, State Representative Jonathan Hecht and City Councilor Minka VanBeuzekom were among the dignitaries who attended. The celebration featured an art exhibit of residents’ work, recognized the volunteer efforts of the Friends of the Cambridge Homes, and highlighted the rich history of the organization, as well as future endeavors of the Board of Directors.

Dr. Robert Neer, current Board President, toasted the “long tradition of warm and friendly support from the Cambridge community”, as well as the residents of The Homes “who breathe life and color into this building.” He congratulated the staff and thanked the Friends for their thousands of hours of service in enriching the lives of residents. Finally he offered a toast to “this marvelous building which exemplifies by its grace and beauty the character of the people who live and work here.”

The building itself, a local historic landmark at 360 Mount Auburn Street next to Mount Auburn Hospital, was front and center in the celebration.

Dr. Neer recalled the early days of The Homes when a group of notable Cambridge citizens, including Alice Longfellow, the poet’s daughter, established a residence for the elderly. Their first “Home” was quickly outgrown and in 1899 the current residence, a Georgian-style manse, was opened by Charles Eliot, President of Harvard. As time passed an infirmary was added and The Homes operated as a rest home with skilled nursing care.

Fifteen years ago this month, after a complete gut rehab and renovation, The Homes transitioned from a rest home into a gracious independent and assisted living residence featuring a rich array of supportive services and operated by an experienced management firm.

Frank Duehay, a former Board President whose involvement with the Cambridge Homes began in 1958 when his grandfather was a resident, said , “Thanks to the vision of the Board of Directors and the involvement of so many others, The Cambridge Homes today is one of the finest retirement residences in the country. We are also very proud that we have successfully maintained our original charitable purpose by providing financial assistance to a third of the residents who live here through our endowment fund.”

While the evening was about celebrating past achievements and history, those connected to The Cambridge Homes are now looking to the future. For the past several years the Steering Committee has been carefully researching how The Cambridge Homes can best respond to local needs.

Arch Horst, a local Cambridge architect who serves as chair of the Steering Committee said, “Alzheimer’s is the pressing need. What we know and what we do best is housing. We are looking for land now and hope to build a new assisted living community focusing on memory support. We’ll know within the next six months if this goal will become reality.”

While The Cambridge Homes looks to the future, Helene Quinn, Executive Director ended the evening by thanking the Cambridge community. “Over our long history so many Cambridge citizens have come forward to serve on our Board, to volunteer for the Friends Committee, to support us financially. The rich fabric of our deep association with the larger Cambridge community sustains us today as it always has.”

About The Cambridge Homes: The Cambridge Homes offers Independent Living and Assisted Living in an historic Georgian-style brick building just minutes from Harvard Square next to Mount Auburn Hospital. Residents enjoy its relaxed ambiance, stimulating cultural programs and concierge-style services. The Cambridge Homes primarily serves seniors throughout the City of Cambridge, as well as the neighboring towns of Belmont, Arlington and Watertown. The Cambridge Homes day-to-day operations are managed by Senior Living Residences (SLR), a local Massachusetts company with 20 years of experience in assisted living and Alzheimer’s care.

For more information, visit www.TheCambridgeHomes.org or call 617-876-0369.

Senior Living Residences Wins National "Innovation" Award for its Brain Healthy Cooking Program

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

September 2012 - Senior Living Residences (SLR) is the proud recipient of its second Spirit of Innovation Award which recognizes companies for their innovation, dedication to continuous improvement, development of best practices, and commitment to the success of the assisted living and long-term care industry.

SLR was recognized for developing and implementing its comprehensive Brain Healthy Cooking Program to improve the diet of seniors in its communities, and for its extensive public education campaign promoting the benefits of brain healthy cooking for baby boomers and seniors alike.

Tadd Clelland, Executive Vice President & Partner of SLR, presented the company's case study at the 2012 LINK conference this summer in Chicago where he accepted the award on behalf of the firm.

He said, “A growing body of scientific research points to the important role played by diet in the cause, prevention and management of Alzheimer’s disease. In 2009, after we launched the Brain Healthy Cooking Program, the foundational principles of what we are doing was affirmed by the most comprehensive study done to date describing a direct connection between diet and cognitive health. Researchers found that individuals who adhered to a “Mediterranean diet” had a 32-40% decreased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. SLR’s Brain Healthy Cooking Program includes all of the basic elements of the Mediterranean diet and goes well beyond it with its cognitive health protective factors.”

“Brain healthy” eating can provide protective health benefits for people of any age whether or not they are already displaying symptoms of memory loss. Based on this knowledge, SLR is committed to public education around the issue of brain healthy cooking and eating and utilizes presentations, published articles, and CEU classes for health care professionals, as well as the SLR Alzheimer’s Care Blog and web-based Brain Healthy Cooking Guide to bring public attention to the issue.

Clelland said, "Our program has been an incredible success. Our executive chefs are working together to create new brain-healthy recipes daily. Our residents gave a whopping 99% rating for SLR's dining program in our most recent customer satisfaction survey. In the towns and cities we serve, our leadership around brain healthy cooking differentiates us from the competition helping to push our occupancy levels, consistently beating regional and national averages."

Bailey Beeken, Vice President and Conference Director for LINK, said, "The goal of the Spirit of Innovation Award is to help advance business productivity and greater quality of care and foster innovation in senior living and long term care. The Spirit of Innovation Award winners not only developed unusually successful business initiatives but have also demonstrated a willingness to share their great ideas with others in support of this mission."

About LTC & Senior Living LINK
The LTC LINK annual conference is for senior management from organizations with revenue 500+ beds/units and/or over $30 million. With a combination of peer-to-peer education, networking and consultative business meetings, it is an incredibly efficient venue for executives to learn best practices that drive profitability, quality and growth.

About Senior Living Residences
Senior Living Residences (SLR) is an industry leader in the creation of service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. The privately-held firm, among the founders of assisted living in New England, has been on the cutting edge of providing innovative quality programming for seniors and topnotch management services for clients for over 20 years. Adhering to its core “Right Values”—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted name in the industry. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, and is putting cutting edge research to work in its branded Compass Memory Support Neighborhoods™.

Experienced Senior Management Team Hired for Armbrook Village

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Two residents of West Springfield, Beth Cardillo and Eileen Drumm, have been tapped to serve as Executive Director and Director of Community Relations for the new Armbrook Village. The monthly rental community, which will feature independent senior apartments, assisted living and Alzheimer’s care, is under construction and on schedule to open in the spring on North Road in Westfield near Southampton.

Robert Larkin, President of Senior Living Residences (SLR), the Massachusetts company in charge of day-to-day operations at Armbrook Village, said, “I am pleased to announce the selection of two highly qualified and well-respected western Mass professionals with years of experience in the business to head up the professional management team at the new community. Beth’s and Eileen’s combined experience working with the senior population, their enthusiasm and energy, and their strong knowledge of the available local resources for older adults will be a great asset for Armbrook Village residents.”

Beth Cardillo, the community’s new Executive Director, has expertise in all facets of the senior living industry, including independent living, assisted living and Alzheimer’s programs. She has worked throughout the area, served on a multitude of local boards, and pursued her love of teaching, which started at Westfield High School, throughout her career. For the past five years she served as Executive Director at Keystone Commons in Ludlow and prior to that she was part of the management team that opened Keystone Woods in Springfield, its sister community.

Eileen Drumm, the Director of Community Relations, is well known for her work as a minister in Springfield at the Faith United Church where she provided pastoral care and counseling, and built and directed a Youth Choir. She has also worked with seniors and their families throughout her career, most recently at the Springfield Care Center of Beacon Hospice where she provided support and education to families and promoted the center’s services to the local medical community.

A Licensed Social Worker, Ms. Cardillo said, “I am thrilled to head up the team that will open and manage this incredible new community. I am impressed by the building’s design and the many amenities and services we will offer when we welcome our first residents next spring. I look forward to continuing the work that I love – enhancing the lives of older individuals, especially those with Alzheimer’s.”

She added, “We welcome anyone who is interested – consumers, local business owners and professionals within the healthcare and eldercare fields - to take a tour to see this new community for yourself.”

Armbrook Village Now Leasing Apartments & Holding Open Houses

The new community is hosting Open Houses every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give people an opportunity to drop in, take a tour of the furnished Model Apartments, and make a deposit if they want to reserve the apartment of their choice. Private tours are also being scheduled daily.

All apartments are available on a monthly rental basis with no upfront buy in. There are plenty of options available ranging from studios to very large two-bedroom apartments, with some of the largest square footages in the area and different layouts. The new community also offers expansive community amenities and vibrant programming allowing residents to pursue their own hobbies and participate in lots of new interests and activities.

For more information or to schedule a private tour, please call 413-568-0000, visit www.ArmbrookVillage.com or email info@ArmbrookVillage.com.

Cornerstone At Milford, New Senior Living Community, Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Milford, MA, December 6, 2012 – Cornerstone at Milford, the town’s new 85-unit senior living community, held its official Groundbreaking Ceremony on Thursday, December 6th. Cornerstone will offer local seniors in Milford and neighboring communities throughout Metrowest service-enriched Assisted Living and a state-of-the-art Compass Memory Support Neighborhood™ which is affiliated with the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center.

Noted community leaders invited to the event included Milford town officials who were involved in reviewing the project and approving permits: Louis J. Celozzi, Town Administrator; Larry Dunkin, Town Planner; Michael Santora, Town Engineer; and John Erickson, Building Commissioner.

Work on the site has already commenced. The site has been cleared and leveled and loam is being trucked in to prepare the ground prior to laying the foundation. The project’s construction team expects to pour the foundation in just a few weeks. Steve Paquette of SPL Development, one of the companies involved with the new project, said, “It is our expectation that construction will proceed smoothly toward an opening date this Fall 2013.”

The new community is being built on the site of the former Greenleaf Farm at the corner of Birch Street and Route 109 just one block from Route 495 and a short drive to downtown Milford. In a nod to the site’s history as a working farm and apple orchard, the new owners plan on saving some of the older apple trees and replanting them within the new landscaping. The project’s interior designers are creating an interior space that they characterize as a “refined country look” with natural woodwork, a bright and airy open floor plan, lots of natural light, and easy access to outdoor patios. The exterior amenities also include a lighted paved walking path around the building with resting spots, a gazebo and raised planting beds.

The building also features spacious studio and one-bedroom apartments with a variety of indoor spaces, including a dramatic dining room, a library with computers available for community use, a full-service salon, a Café where residents will attend cooking classes, and a large community room for the performing arts and visiting guest lecturers.

The companies and individuals involved in the development of Cornerstone at Milford have strong local connections and considerable experience in the assisted living and senior housing fields. The community will be managed professionally by an owner of the project, Massachusetts-based Senior Living Residences (SLR). SLR currently owns and/or manages 11 other senior communities in Massachusetts, including Compass at Hopkinton in the neighboring town of Hopkinton which features residential memory care. SLR has been at the forefront of creating innovative independent living, assisted living and memory support communities in New England for over 20 years.

Robert Larkin, President of SLR said, “Having local, hands-on ownership and operations management ensures complete attention to detail and a strong commitment to the success of this community over the long term. We appreciate the warm welcome we have received from Milford and we look forward to becoming an integral part of this community and an important resource to local seniors and their families as we gear up to bring the next generation of senior housing to Milford.”

Mr. Larkin added, “Cornerstone at Milford will offer a world of choice to older adults who wish to maintain their independence and active lifestyle with the peace of mind knowing that help is available should they need it. With an opening date less than a year away we are gearing up to provide detailed information to interested people in January and we will open several furnished Model Apartments for tours as soon as we can – certainly by late Spring. Individuals who are interested in preliminary information now are encouraged to visit our new web site www.CornerstoneMilford.com, email us at info@CornerstoneMilford.com, or call us at 508-473-0035.”

AlzCareBlog by Senior Living Residences wins National Award

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Boston (March 7, 2013) – Senior Living Residences' caregiver focused Alzheimer's Care Blog has won an ALTY Award from Assisted Living Today. This annual award series honors the best articles and blog posts from across the assisted living and senior care industry.

The Alzheimer’s Care Blog won the award for its December 2012 post "Beyond Care at Home: When Home is NOT the Best." The post, written by Senior Living Residences' President Robert Larkin, reviews important considerations when assessing the safety of your aging loved one.

"We are all excited to see the Alzheimer’s Care Blog receive national recognition," says Larkin. "We hear every day from families and professionals what the blog means to them. We spend a lot of time crafting our content. With all the stress that caregivers are under, it's helpful to provide them with information, guidance, and the understanding that they are not alone in their struggles. An ALTY award will hopefully introduce the blog to some new readers."

The Alzheimer’s Care Blog connects family caregivers with leading academic, clinical and dementia care experts in assisted living, as well as guest bloggers with finance, home care, fitness and nutrition expertise, who work day in and day out with individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and the families who love them. The interactive nature of the blog experience provides family caregivers a platform to ask questions of the experts, and also share their ideas, struggles and joys with others in the same situation through the blog's Real Stories feature. The Alzheimer’s Care Blog, funded by Senior Living Residences of Boston, MA, is also noted as one of the TOP 50 blogs about Alzheimer’s disease in the US and ranks #8 on Sharerank’s List of the Best Alzheimer’s Blogs.

Armbrook Village Opens

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Westfield's Armbrook Village Opens its Doors.

The Senior Living Community's First Residents Move In

April 1, 2013 - Westfield, MA - For the individuals and companies behind the new Armbrook Village project in Westfield, this day has been a long time coming. It's been over a year of non-stop construction at 551 North Road in Westfield and even more time was spent before that on zoning, permitting, and clearing the land. The project has had many local supporters, among them Mayor Daniel Knapik who sees this project as a vital part of Westfield's revitalization effort.

Today, those involved with the project are marking a significant milestone -- Armbrook Village officially opens its doors and welcomes its "pioneer" residents into the building to move into their brand new apartment homes.

This week the "independent senior neighborhood" opens and is quickly followed by the official opening next week of the Assisted Living and Compass Memory Support neighborhoods. Within the next few months dozens of people are scheduled to move into their new homes, providing an exciting and vibrant new community for the region's seniors.

"Everything is in full swing here!" says Armbrook Village's executive director Beth Cardillo. "The dining rooms are open, our programs are running and we arecompletely staffed. Our new building, which only recently seemed to be drywall and sawdust, is now buzzing with life."

"I'm looking forward to sitting down with our first residents and getting to know about their specific interests," said Tiffany Lagacy, Director of the community's EnrichedLIFE programs. "Opening a new community is exciting for them, too. They get to be involved with creating the clubs and activities they want to have - Pitch Night, Book Clubs, Walking Clubs, Knit and Crotchet Groups, monthly rounds on the putting green -- whatever activities suit their interests. They design it, we create it."

Armbrook Village has 46 independent apartments with full kitchens, 51 assisted living apartments with kitchenettes, and a 25-unit secure Compass Memory Support Neighborhood® that is specially designed for individuals with memory loss.

Mayor Knapik said about the project, "Armbrook offers a high-end senior living campus setting within our city catering to the needs of our local citizens – from the independent couple who would like to downsize to the elderly individual who can benefit from supportive services to someone who has memory loss -- and everyone in between."

The service-enhanced Compass neighborhood is affiliated with the Boston University School of Medicine's Alzheimer's Disease Center. "Compass at Armbrook's programming is unique to Western Mass," says Compass Program Director Brenda Lopes. "All of our programs in combination actually treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's, enhancing the lives of those living with memory loss. Our research-based programming includes our award-winning Brain Healthy Cooking Program, Reconnections (an adult learning curriculum) and the Lifetime Achievement Award. "

"We are thrilled to welcome residents into their homes, but I want people to know that there are still plenty of apartments available with many different layouts and views to choose from. We have some of the largest apartments in the area and many people who are moving in are delighted that we are a monthly rental community with no buy-in or real estate purchase required," said Ms. Cardillo.

She noted that the Priority Reservation Program, which offers early depositors a choice of paint colors, a voucher for moving expenses, a salon gift certificate and a home warming cocktail party, is still in effect for the first 50 people to move in. "If you are thinking about making a move sometime soon, drop in now for a tour and take advantage of this great program!" Cardillo said.

Those interested in touring the newly completed Armbrook Village can call 413-568-0000 or email info@armbrookvillage.com to arrange a visit - or simply drop by without an appointment. Cardillo also urged local residents to check out the website ArmbrookVillage.com.

Methuen Village Welcomes New Executive Director

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Methuen Village Hires New Executive Director

Gregory Batchelder Joins the Senior Living Residences Team

May 1, 2013 - Methuen, MA - Senior Living Residences is pleased to announce that Gregory Batchelder has joined the company as Executive Director of Methuen Village, a 91-unit Merrimack Valley area assisted living and memory care residence.

"I'm thrilled for this opportunity to lead Methuen Village," said Batchelder. "Senior Living Residences is a valued leader in this industry. I'm excited to be a part of the company."

Greg began his career in senior care and community management with Amesbury Village, a 130-bed Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation residence in Amesbury, MA. Prior to coming to Methuen Village, Greg had been the Executive Director of Greystone Farm at Salem, a Salem, NH based assisted living and memory care community.

“Greg is a valuable addition to Methuen Village and our Senior Living Residences' team. We are all very excited to have him on board,” said Tadd Clelland, Partner at Senior Living Residences, the management company for Methuen Village. “Greg will do a tremendous job upholding the tenets of our company's Right Values mission. His priorities will always be to support and uplift his staff, and to promote the integrity, innovation and quality of life that Methuen Village provides its residents." Greg began his role of Executive Director at the end of April.

Methuen Village opened in March 2009 and offers service-enriched Assisted Living and a state-of-the-art Compass Memory Support Neighborhood(R) featuring innovative, research-based programming for those with memory loss. The community’s unique downtown location also offers lovely views of the Spicket River. Residents enjoy a secure, supportive, enriching lifestyle with gracious accommodations, personalized services, and many amenities at reasonable monthly rates.

Senior Living Residences (SLR), established in 1990, is an industry leader in the creation of service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in Masssachusetts. The privately-held firm, among the founders of assisted living in New England, has been on the cutting edge of providing innovative quality programming for seniors and topnotch management services for clients for the past 20 years.

You can learn more about Methuen Village at www.MethuenVillage.com.