Sunrise Senior Living Communities to Show HBO's The Alzheimer's Project

- Nationwide locations open doors to professionals and families caring for seniors to screen ground-breaking documentary series -

MCLEAN, Va., May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sunrise Senior Living (NYSE: SRZ) communities will host special screenings and discussions of HBO's The Alzheimer's Project to encourage greater awareness about the disease as well as highlight the numerous issues surrounding it. Locate a local Sunrise community by going to www.sunriseseniorliving.com and call or e-mail them to learn more.

The Alzheimer's Project is HBO's four-part, multi-platform series that brings new understanding and hope for millions and reveals human faces behind the disease. This pioneering documentary series shines a spotlight on the lives of individuals with Alzheimer's and their families, and takes a close look at the groundbreaking discoveries made by the country's leading scientists as they work towards a cure.

"Sunrise residents with memory loss are the human faces of Alzheimer's disease," said Rita Altman, National Director of Memory Care at Sunrise. "Since 1981, Sunrise has served seniors with memory loss and their families. We've both challenged traditional notions of caring for those with Alzheimer's and introduced better approaches to care. It is a privilege for us to be part of this documentary and to screen it with the public."

Alzheimer's is the second most-feared illness in America behind cancer, and may affect as many as five million Americans. As Baby Boomers reach retirement, that number could soar to more than 11 million by 2040, and have a huge economic impact on America's already fragile healthcare system.

"As more seniors develop cognitive impairments, family members who assumed caregiving responsibilities are strained to provide adequate care for their aging loved one while managing other obligations. That's where Sunrise can help," said Altman.

Sunrise assisted living communities offer a wide range of services for seniors with memory loss due to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The special Reminiscence Neighborhoods at Sunrise communities focus on creating pleasant days for each individual in a secure, close knit environment that is supportive and comfortable. Sunrise caregivers are complemented by this unique environment and the best-in-class training they receive.

The Alzheimer's Project was created by the award-winning team behind HBO's acclaimed Addiction project and is presented by HBO Documentary Films in association with the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer's Association(R), The Fidelity(R) Charitable Gift Fund, and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back(R) Alzheimer's Initiative. The series is Produced by John Hoffman and Executive Produced by Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

About Sunrise Senior Living

Sunrise Senior Living, a McLean, Va.-based company, employs approximately 40,000 people. As of May 8, 2009, Sunrise operated 411 communities in the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom, with a combined unit capacity of approximately 42,000 units. Sunrise offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including independent living, assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative services. Sunrise's senior living services are delivered by staff trained to encourage the independence, preserve the dignity, enable freedom of choice and protect the privacy of residents. To learn more about Sunrise, please visit http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com.

SOURCE Sunrise Senior Living

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