Claremont Place Embraces Unconventional Approaches to Memory Care

Claremont, Calif. – According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 160,000 older adults in Los Angeles County are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The organization estimates this figure to soar to more than 278,000 by 2030. Due to these staggering numbers, Claremont Place senior living community is taking a unique, holistic approach to memory care through its Generations Memory Support Program.

The program is specially geared toward supporting seniors living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. The care focuses on their social, intellectual and emotional well-being, in addition to their physical needs.

“We believe everyone deserves a high quality of life throughout the aging process, and there’s a strong need for that locally,” said Lisa Hunt, Sr. Executive Director at Claremont Place. “Our Generations program is designed to ensure our memory support residents are engaged, active and socializing. It’s also designed to empower them to live as independently as possible.”

Key components of the Generations program include:

Music and Memory®

As a certified Music and Memory® community, Claremont Place is part of a national research initiative focused on discovering how seniors with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia can benefit from listening to music. Residents listen to custom playlists based on their personal tastes, as well as input from family, friends and staff. The experience helps them reconnect with memories, and to other people and places.

Memory in the Making

This signature program of the Alzheimer’s Association allows residents with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia to express themselves through art. By creating artwork, memory care residents explore tangible ways of connecting with their loved ones, which can reduce isolation and improve self-esteem.

National Alzheimer’s Buddy Program (NAB)

To prevent and combat the isolation often experienced by seniors living with Alzheimer’s or other forms dementia, the community partners with the Cal Poly Pomona chapter of the National Alzheimer’s Buddy Program (NAB) on its campus. The Buddy Program is a student-run organization that partners young adults and seniors for a variety of intergenerational activities.

Claremont Place also hosts various educational events on memory care throughout the year as well as a monthly caregiver support group. Earlier this month, the community hosted renowned speaker and leading dementia-care expert Teepa Snow, for a daylong seminar on caring strategies for people living with the condition.

“It was a thrill to host Ms. Snow at our community to share her wealth of knowledge and expertise,” said Hunt. “She has dedicated her life and career to understanding the cognitive changes we undergo as we age. Few people have the passion and experience that she brings to the table, and the seminar was very eye-opening.”

Snow has more than 40 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist. She is the founder of Positive Approach™ to Care (PAC), a company dedicated to supporting and engaging with people experiencing changes in brain function. She has also worked as part of Duke University Medical Center’s Neuro-Rehabilitation Team, the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill Geriatric Clinic, and currently serves on boards for the U.S. Dementia Action Alliance and the Alzheimer’s Support Network in Naples, Fla.