WALTHAM, Massachusetts—EPOCH Senior Living, a Northeastern senior living organization, hosted the final Purple Flag raising event at its Bridges by EPOCH at Westford community. The partnership was first established in June 2023 when EPOCH launched its system-wide initiative to implement the senior care quality enhancement program across all 12 of its Bridges by EPOCH locations with memory care. EPOCH is one of two companies who have established a system-wide Purple Flag for Dementia Care accreditation.
Ceremonial flag-raising events are held at every Purple Flag accredited community to celebrate the significant accomplishment driven by their teams' hard work and dedication in meeting the accreditation requirements. The raising of the Purple Flag also serves as a symbolic reminder to the community’s team, residents and families of their commitment to enhancing the quality of life of individuals living with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia under their care.
“We’re honored to raise the prestigious Purple Flag at all of our senior living communities,” said Laurie Gerber, chairperson of EPOCH Senior Living. "This commitment marks the initiation of our journey towards an elevated standard of excellence upheld by EPOCH and our renowned programs. It's a testament to the exceptional leadership exhibited by our teams in memory care and the field of senior living overall.”
The remaining nine Bridges by EPOCH communities achieved Purple Flag accreditation in December 2023 and held flag raising events throughout March, April, May and June 2024 to join the first three Bridges by EPOCH communities that received this recognition in June 2023—Waterstone on High Ridge, Bridges by EPOCH at Trumbull, and Bridges by EPOCH at Norwalk.
The nine newly accredited communities include:
- Bridges by Epoch at Nashua
- Bridges by Epoch at Pembroke
- Bridges by Epoch at Andover
- Bridges by Epoch at Hingham
- Bridges by Epoch at Sudbury
- Bridges by Epoch at Westwood
- Bridges by Epoch at Lexington
- Bridges by Epoch at Mashpee
- Bridges by Epoch at Westford
Purple Flag is an accreditation program. Its application process assesses assisted living communities, long-term care facilities and homecare agencies in terms of their ability to consistently deliver person-centered care, maintain a supportive and therapeutic environment, and offer ongoing training to staff associates as well as support to the families they serve. Purple Flag accredited communities must adhere to 60 best-practice standards considered essential and valuable when caring for someone with dementia. As a result, Purple Flag communities are setting the gold standard for excellence in memory care while enhancing the senior care organization's overall services.
"The Purple Flag accreditation program was initially aimed at improving the lives of seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. However, our commitment to advancing safety and quality of life standards has led to a significant discovery," said Christopher Carter, president of the Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA) and Purple Flag Governance Committee member. "We have found that the program's impact extends beyond memory care, elevating the overall quality of senior care services provided by communities like these communities of EPOCH to unprecedented levels of excellence. This realization is symbolized by the Purple Flag emblem and is celebrated through these community flag-raising ceremonies."
More than six million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease, and 11 million more are providing unpaid care for those with dementia (Alzheimer’s Association, 2023). The need for high-quality, dependable, trustworthy memory support options has never been greater. The Purple Flag for Dementia Care Accreditation standards, which include a quality framework and specific required elements, are considered essential and valuable in making a difference in the care of a person living with dementia.
