BENCHMARK ENHANCES MIND & MEMORY PROGRAM WITH DEMENTIA LIVE®

Benchmark Senior Living teaming with Dementia Live

Provides Additional Resident, Family Member and Community Support to Those Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Aug. 13, 2018, Waltham, Mass. & Colleyville, Texas – Benchmark (www.BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com), a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast and AGE-u-cate® Training Institute (www.ageucate.com), developers of innovative aging education, today announced the two organizations have partnered to bring additional dementia education to Benchmark communities throughout the Northeast.

According to the World Health Organization, there are over 50 million people currently living with dementia, and this number is expected to triple by 2050. To help address the growing need for dementia knowledge and continue to provide superior care, Benchmark has deployed AGE-u-cate’s Dementia Live® curriculum company-wide, delivering advanced education to its memory care team members throughout the Northeast. In addition, to help people in the areas they serve along their journey, many Benchmark communities are now offering complimentary public workshops for caregivers and family members that are designed to provide practical insight into what it’s really like to live with dementia.

Dementia Live puts individuals in the position of being able to experience what those with a brain affected by dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders encounter. By incorporating demonstrations and tools, such as a dementia simulation experience and practical action plans, called Empowerment Tools, individuals are able to go inside the dementia brain for the first time, making it easier to care for and understand those with the disease.

AGE-u-cate Training Institute develops and delivers innovative aging and dementia education for professional and family caregivers, serving senior care communities, nursing homes, home care and hospice providers, government agencies, hospitals, the business community and families. AGE-u-cate’s programs are being implemented by providers across the United States, Australia, Canada, and this year will be expanding to other countries.

“There is an urgent need for quality education and training to meet the fast-aging worldwide population,” says Pam Brandon, president and founder of AGE-u-cate. “We are excited about our partnership with Benchmark and their commitment to delivering high-quality care in each of its communities.”

In addition to Dementia Live education, Benchmark memory care communities offer a Mind & Memory approach crafted and guided by Certified Dementia Practitioners. This unique approach is designed to help those with memory loss stay active, healthy and engaged, staying connected to what matters most. Special programming, services, resident support and Family Connect help residents feel secure, comfortable and successful every day. In 2019, the company will open Adelaide Place of Newton Centre in Newton, Mass., a dedicated memory care community complete with cutting-edge, first-of-its-kind programs.

“Elder care is fast becoming about dementia care, and there is a great need to support those who are caring for and serving those with the disease,” says Karen Bain, Benchmark’s vice president of resident care. “For a family experiencing dementia, it can be very easy to become disconnected, especially as the disease progresses. By understanding what the resident is experiencing and getting to know each individual on a deep level, we are able to hit on what they are passionate about and keep them connected to those around them. We are already seeing great results with Dementia Live and look forward to using it to help even more people in the communities we serve.”

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 About Benchmark
Based in Waltham, Mass., Benchmark is a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast.  Founded in 1997 by Tom Grape, Benchmark operates 57 senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care and continuing care in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. In 2018, Benchmark was certified as a Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute and became the first senior living organization and only the fifth Massachusetts-based company to receive Certified Age Friendly Employer (CAFE) designation from RetirementJobs.com. It also has been recognized as a top workplace by The Boston Globe for 10 consecutive years as well as by the Boston Business Journal, Connecticut Post, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal.  For more information, visit BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com.

About AGE-u-cate Training Institute
AGE-u-cate Training Institute develops and delivers innovative aging and dementia training programs for professional and family caregivers.  AGE-u-cate’s programs are enhancing the lives of elders, their care partners and families, meeting the urgent training needs across the US, and internationally by long term care communities, behavioral hospitals, in-home and hospice care, community based organizations and universities.

Benchmark Press Contact: Carol Arnold, Arnold Communications, carol@arnoldcomm.com, (603) 502-0469.

AGE-u-cate Press contact: Renee Riffey, Director of Client Engagement, AGE-u-cate, (817) 857-1157 x204.