Perry Hall Town Square Breaks Ground On Belair Road

PERRY HALL, MD — A new adult day program for seniors with dementia is coming to Belair Road. There was a groundbreaking for Town Square on Wednesday, July 17, where business leaders introduced the concept for the project.

Senior Helpers, a company that provides programs for older adults, has worked with the George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers to create a space that appears to be a throwback, with a 1955 Chevy Bel Air acting as the centerpiece.

The design is part of an approach called reminiscence therapy, which helps ease agitation for those suffering with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia by reminding them of positive things from their past. A diner, library and town square are part of the interactive scenery.

"We know all too well that the number of people living with Alzheimer's and dementia continues to grow, and so do the challenges of caring for them," CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers Peter Ross said in a statement.

An estimated 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, a progressive disease that impacts memory, according to the Alzheimer's Association. There is currently no cure, so the focus is on alleviating symptoms and slowing the progression.

"People want to stay home longer, and their adult children are looking for ways to extend their parents' finances," Ross said. "Given the choice, having a care option like Town Square will help families honor this wish, particularly during the days when they're at work or need a break."

Activities such as playing cards and painting in a setting that makes them feel at home at Town Square may lead to a positive ripple effect for participants by boosting chemicals in the brain that allow dementia suffers to settle more easily, sleep better and improve cognition, the director of the Alzheimer's center at New York Presbyterian in Manhattan told AARP.

According to Senior Helpers, the Perry Hall Town Square will be modeled after the original Glenner Town Square in Chula Vista, California, based around reminiscence therapy.

Town Square will be located at 9708 Belair Road in Perry Hall, where Rite Aid used to be.

Operating weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Town Square will offer a day program for dementia sufferers that costs $90 daily, The Baltimore Sun reported.

The Perry Hall location is expected to open in the fall.