Atria Senior Living Launches Innovative New Resource for Families, Staff in Conjunction With Alzheimer's Awareness Month

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Atria Senior Living Group, one of the nation's largest providers of independent living, assisted living and memory care services, announced today the launch of a new special edition book to benefit residents and employees living and working in the company's Life Guidance® Neighborhoods.

As part of the its commemoration of Alzheimer's Awareness Month, Atria is unveiling a new activities guide for Atria staff and families using Virginia Bell and David Troxel's acclaimed Best Friends™ approach to dementia care. This special edition book, entitled The Best Friends Book of Alzheimer's Activities, includes signature activities developed by Atria staff and offered exclusively in Atria Life Guidance Neighborhoods. The guide's creative, meaningful ideas help families and caregivers of loved ones living with Alzheimer's disease have more successful interactions.

"We are extremely proud of this special edition of The Best Friends Book of Alzheimer's Activities, which is an extension of our existing relationship with David Troxel and his unique Best Friends approach to Alzheimer's care," said Khristine Rogers, vice president of Active Aging at Atria Senior Living. "Utilizing the Best Friends approach has allowed our staff to focus on continually improving the lives of our residents while helping to establish more meaningful connections between residents and family members."

Atria's Life Guidance program is designed to improve the quality of life for seniors living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Atria's highly-trained staff works closely with residents to provide personalized attention, nutritious meals and stimulating activities tailored to each person's unique abilities. Familiar, structured routines in a home-like environment allow residents to enjoy programs that help nurture the body, mind and spirit.

Atria began adopting the Best Friends approach in its Life Guidance Neighborhoods two years ago as part of its alliance with Troxel, renowned Alzheimer's expert and author of five Alzheimer's education books. In June, Atria's Life Guidance support professionals were the industry's first dementia leaders to receive the new Best Friends approach Master Training – a holistic approach that focuses on the importance of relationship-based care and sensitive communication skills that can greatly influence an individual's quality of life.

"Working directly with Atria and helping the company evolve their approach about how to best care for those living with Alzheimer's has been a rewarding experience for me," said David Troxel. "By working closely with Atria staff and residents in Life Guidance, we've been able to establish a more positive life experience for residents and their families."

In its more than 120 senior living communities across the nation, Atria currently operates 63 Life Guidance Neighborhoods, with plans to open additional Neighborhoods in the next 24 months to accommodate the increasing demand for Alzheimer's care. According to the Alzheimer's Association, 5.3 million people in the United States are currently living with Alzheimer's disease, which affects one in every eight people over 65 and nearly one in two people over the age of 85.

"Navigating the unpredictable journey of Alzheimer's disease can be difficult for seniors and their families," continued Rogers. "We continue in our commitment to serve as a resource in meeting the needs of an aging population, and by striving to offer some of the finest memory care accommodations available today."

To learn more about Atria Senior Living's Life Guidance Neighborhoods, please visit http://www.atriaseniorliving.com/life_guidance.aspx.

Atria Senior Living Group, one of the nation's largest providers of senior living, provides respectful, quality care that helps approximately 13,000 older people live life to the fullest. Atria communities are not nursing homes; rather, they are active communities where seniors can get the care they need to live as independently as possible. At the heart of Atria's approach is the belief that superior care depends on running a superior business. That's why Atria has developed some of the industry's most stringent measurement tools and comprehensive training protocols. To learn more, log onto www.atriaseniorliving.com.

Best Friends is a trademark of Health Professions Press, Inc.

SOURCE Atria Senior Living Group