JCHC's Weston Assisted Living Residence is Now a Comfort Matters® Accredited Provider for Persons With Dementia

After an 18 month-long implementation process, the Weston Assisted Living Residence, the assisted living residence at the Lester Senior Housing Community in Whippany, New Jersey, has successfully achieved accreditation from Comfort Matters®, a nationally and internationally recognized dementia care program. The community, which comprises the Weston building and the Heller Independent Living Apartments, opened its intimate Memory Care Suite last spring with 12 apartments in a supportive environment specializing in person-centered care. The management and caregiving teams started working with Comfort Matters in February 2017.

The Lester Senior Housing Community is owned and managed by the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey (JCHC). Weston is the first assisted living residence in the state of New Jersey and the first Jewish community to hold this accreditation.

Comfort Matters® is a philosophy, care practice and an evidence-based program which offers holistic and integrated approaches to improve the quality of care and quality of life for persons experiencing dementia. It was developed at Beatitudes Campus in Phoenix, Arizona, through nearly two decades of research around person-directed health care practices and the latest science on supporting people who are living with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

“The team at the Weston Assisted Living Residence, as well as JCHC leadership, have worked diligently the past several months to enhance quality of life for people with dementia,” said Tena Alonzo, director of Comfort Matters®. “They have met and, in many cases, exceeded national standards for the Comfort Matters Dementia program and are an inspiration of hope to their residents, their families and the community.”

Marlene Glass, administrator of the Lester Senior Housing Community, led the in-house process for this accreditation. “There were many touch points involved throughout the past 18 months, including six-month reviews, coaching calls, questionnaires, data forms and assessments regarding everything from care practices to meal choices, all to make sure our team was engaged actively in implementing the Comfort Matters philosophy,” said Glass. The accreditation was effective Aug. 1, 2018.

The Lester Senior Housing Community is located at 903-905 Route 10 East in Whippany, New Jersey, on the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus. For more information about Memory Care at Lester, visit http://jchcorp.org/memory-care-morris-county-nj/ or attend the open house on Wednesday, Sept. 12, from 3-5 p.m.; to reserve a spot, contact David Rozen at davidr@jchcorp.org.

About the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey Founded in 1983, the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey (JCHC) owns and manages more than 470 apartments in four buildings for older adults in Morris and Essex counties in northern New Jersey. The non-profit organization offers seniors a range of options in terms of services, amenities, location and cost, all within a traditional Jewish environment. The JCHC provides housing, programs and services for the independent elderly as well as those who need assisted living and memory care. For more information, go to www.jchcorp.org.

About Beatitudes Campus

Founded in 1964, Beatitudes Campus is a faith-based, not-for-profit life plan community offering a wide spectrum of services for older people including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory support and home care services. Beatitudes Campus is a center of excellence and a leader in the field of aging services. The campus offers a model of wellness that promotes soundness of mind, spirit and body. For more information, go to www.beatitudescampus.org.