Senior living community’s Memory Care Suite offers person-centered care in an intimate environment.

(courtesy of Lester Senior Housing Community) The Lester Senior Housing Community in Whippany is welcoming residents to its new Memory Care Suite, which offers compassionate, person-centered care for adults ages 62 and older with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diagnoses.

Everything about the carefully designed floor is meant to provide for residents’ comfort in an intimate, supportive environment that includes

a community room for crafts and games, music programs and other therapeutic activities;

comfortable lounges for socializing;

a quiet room for relaxation;

a dining room where residents can eat at their leisure; and

an outdoor roof deck with a garden, pergola and seating.

“We are very proud of this new service that provides for the changing needs of our seniors and their families,” said Harold Colton-Max, CEO of the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey (JCHC), which owns and manages the distinctive residence.

JCHC’s caregivers have been specially trained in Alzheimer’s and dementia care through Comfort Matters^®, a nationally recognized best practices accreditation process. The approach emphasizes individualized care plans that focus on each person’s wellness of mind, body and soul. It also provides opportunities for family and social connections that enhance residents’ overall health and well-being so that the JCHC’s “community of caring” philosophy is always fulfilled. As safety and security are of paramount importance, there is a centrally located care manager station and an elopement-prevention monitoring system.

The public is invited to a free seminar presented by Dr. Linda Travis of Comfort Matters and a noted dementia care educator, on Monday, August 21, at 6:30 p.m. titled, “Effective and Caring Ways to Engage With and Provide Comfort to People With Dementia.” To reserve a seat, contact David Rozen at 973-929-2725. Refreshments will be served.

The Lester Senior Housing Community is located at 903-905 Route 10 East on the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus. Applications are being accepted for those who require the level of attention and support available in the Memory Care Suite. For more information or to arrange a tour, contact David Rozen at 973-929-2725 or [email protected]. For information about all four of the JCHC’s senior communities in Essex and Morris counties, visit www.jchcorp.org.