Cranshaw Construction to break ground on 40,000 s/f Bridges by EPOCH; Oct. 4 groundbreaking; design by JSA Architects

EPOCH Senior Living is expanding with the addition of a memory care assisted living community - called Bridges by EPOCH. The 40,000 s/f building will open in summer of 2012. Bridges by EPOCH in Hingham was designed by architectural firm JSA and the general contractor for the community is Cranshaw Construction. To celebrate the opening of Bridges by EPOCH, a groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the construction site, 1 Sgt. William B. Terry Dr., on Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. Bridges by EPOCH in Hingham will be built on five acres and will feature three households of 16 apartments, each with an enclosed outdoor courtyard. EPOCH chief executive officer Laurence Gerber said EPOCH is utilizing more than a decade of experience operating senior living and memory care programs to open its first stand-alone memory care facility in Hingham. "Bridges by EPOCH is very exciting for us," Gerber said. "There is a tremendous need for quality memory care housing and services as our population ages and the number of individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia grows. In creating a community exclusively for memory care assisted living, we integrate the collective experience of our architects, partners, consultants and health care experts to create an exceptional residential care program for individuals with memory care needs." EPOCH embarked on Bridges by EPOCH in Hingham to address the growing demand for residential care of individuals with memory-related illnesses. The Alzheimer's Association estimates the number of individuals suffering from Alzheimer's will triple within the next 40 years to as many as 16 million. In Mass. alone, more than 120,000 individuals suffer from Alzheimer's, and that number is expected to grow by nearly 20% by 2025. Bridges by EPOCH in Hingham will be the first freestanding memory care community of its kind in the area. EPOCH also plans to build similar Bridges by EPOCH communities in other New England locations in the near future. Hingham's Bridges by EPOCH community will include 48 apartments and will meet residents' increased needs as a result of memory impairment in a supportive and structured residential environment. EPOCH currently operates 14 senior living communities in New England. EPOCH's Bridges program has evolved over 13 years to provide the foundation for Bridges by EPOCH in Hingham. The Bridges program offers ability-appropriate life enrichment programs to foster engagement, independence and encouragement for people with memory loss. Residents will have unencumbered access to outdoor space and indoor common areas within and outside their households while remaining in a safe, secure and supportive environment. The secure design allows residents to live in a caring home environment, while providing the reassurance of safety for residents and families. Health care staff will be available 24 hours a day, and life enrichment programs will be offered throughout the day to stimulate memory and engage residents. As memory impairment can affect the senses, the community is purposely designed with extensive natural light and a secure, non-confining floor plan. EPOCH's specially trained staff tailors life enrichment programs to individual interests and abilities, increasing self-worth, confidence and happiness. "We are very pleased to be opening our first Bridges by EPOCH community in Hingham, where the demand for quality residential memory care assisted living programs is considerably underserved," said Gerber.