MEMORY CENTER REFLECTS AGING NJ

PARAMUS -- A 124-bed memory care center, which opened last month at the site of the former Old Mill Bathing Beach on Paramus Road, is far from the only business in the area serving people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

CareOne's Harmony Village is, however, dedicated solely to patients with memory impairments, making it both unusual and a sign of a bigger issue: the aging of North Jersey, and the rise in Alzheimer's cases.

"We know about the aging of America. We know that the fastest-growing demographic in the United States is people aged 85 and older," said CareOne chairman and chief executive Daniel E. Straus at the recent grand opening of the center. "There once were stereotypes of how people viewed people with Alzheimer's, but people don't think like that anymore because we don't have that luxury. Everyone knows somebody with Alzheimer's."

The opening comes at a time when the population in New Jersey, like the rest of America, is aging at an accelerating pace. And with aging comes the increased need for long-term care.

According to census data released last year, the median age of residents in all 21 of the state's counties rose from 2010 to 2016, following a pattern that dates back before the turn of the century. Overall, throughout the state, the age of the average resident has risen about 41/2 years since 2000.

Ken Zaentz, president and chief executive of Alzheimer's New Jersey, a nonprofit that advocates for Alzheimer's services and programs across the state, said there is an absolute need for more facilities equipped with memory care services.

"The need for memory care is a growing problem, and we definitely need facilities that can focus on that need," said Zaentz. "We estimate there are about 170,000-plus people in New Jersey impacted by Alzheimer's."

Zaentz pointed to two polls the group commissioned through Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, a survey research center. The polls found that 29 percent of respondents had taken care of or were currently caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Another poll found that four in five people, or 85 percent, said caring for someone with Alzheimer's had a negative impact on their emotional health.

"Bottom line, it's a huge problem for our state," said Zaentz, noting not all families are able to care for a relative in their homes. "Memory care facilities are in that continuum of options."

There are at least 24 facilities in Bergen County that offer memory care services, according to listings on caring.com, a website that serves as a resource for senior care.

Other such centers include Brookdale Paramus, Sunrise of Paramus, Atrium Senior Living of Park Ridge, Brighton Gardens of Saddle River, Fox Trail Memory Care Living at Cresskill and CareOne at The Cupola, also in Paramus.

They are not inexpensive. The site also lists the average cost of memory care in Bergen County at $5,754 per month - more than the national median cost of $4,892.

A 2013 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the financial burden of caring for Americans with dementia is at least as high as that of heart disease or cancer. Meanwhile, the number of people with dementia is expected to double in coming decades, the same study said.

Zaentz said more facilities are recognizing the specialized needs of those suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Whether a facility offers a portion of "dementia friendly" services or an entire complex's worth, both are equally important, said Zaentz.

Harmony Village on Paramus Road is in the latter category.

Elizabeth Straus, the company's executive vice president and Daniel Straus' daughter, said all employees in the new facility are certified to care for patients with dementia. Harmony Village offers what it calls six "neighborhoods" for residents with varying stages of memory loss and 24-hour access to staff, according to its website.

"I have heard people say that they never thought they'd need a place like this," said Elizabeth Straus. "The need to come here - it's never what they want to think about. More and more people are seeing the need because they're not safe at home."

Memory care services are not solely for the elderly. One population that could benefit from such services: retired athletes with a history of concussions.

The Fort Lee-based health care company recently partnered with NFL Alumni Association - a group comprising former NFL players, coaches, staffers, cheerleaders, spouses and associate members. Through the partnership, members of the organization will have access to CareOne's facilities, including the ones in Paramus.

Reports in recent years found that retired NFL players who suffered concussions also developed memory and cognitive issues like dementia, Alzheimer's, depression or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative disease that can only be identified post-mortem. These reports coincided with a high-profile concussion settlement between the league and retired players.

"The symptoms of Alzheimer's present earlier in many of these players because of concussions. Now, finally, it's recognized as a very serious problem for the players," said Daniel Straus. "A lot of what we're doing for regular dementia and Alzheimer's - that type of programming is something that's needed in terms of care for the retired players that suffer, unfortunately, from similar ailments."