Alcoeur Gardens Opens Its Newest Alzheimer’s and Dementia Living Community in Ocean Township

Alcoeur Gardens Helps Residents Age The Same Way They Live

By Rebecca Kopp

Walking into Alcoeur Gardens whether in Brick or Matawan and now Ocean Township is truly like coming home.  “We want our residents, their families and our visitors to feel at home at Alcoeur Gardens,” said Owner/Operator Denise Van Tassell.  “That’s why we have designed our facilities to be as close to a home setting as possible while still maintaining the unique safety requirements for the memory impaired.”  Family owned and operated, Alcoeur Gardens offers a preferred alternative to institutional care for loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.  They provide sensitive, carefully designed 24-hour care and supervision.

“It’s a very emotional step for families to get the help they need for a loved one when they can no longer provide that care themselves,” said Van Tassell.  “It’s also hard for the memory impaired to leave a familiar setting.  We understand memory impairments and we have worked hard to design a home that, while bringing the warm familiar feel of an ordinary home, provides the comfort, safety and peace that are so vital to the memory impaired."

Paths through lovely gardens with discreet alarms on security gates let residents enjoy the sunshine and wander without getting lost.  “One of the problems inherent in a lockdown type of facility is that residents can feel trapped and claustrophobic,” said Van Tassell.  “Dementia patients tend to want to pace or wander which can pose a risk to their safety.  We have designed our exterior and interior spaces with walkways that allow residents to “wander” at will and still be safe from leaving the premises.”

The newest location in Ocean Township has 16 bedrooms and features walls painted in soft, warm neutrals and large windows that fill the home with natural light.  Like the exterior of the home, the interior allows residents to wander.  Smooth wooden floors were installed to prevent tripping as well as hand rails disguised as chair rails to help patients negotiate through the home.  Furnishings and interior design throughout were chosen for comfort, beauty and safety.   “We have many visitors and family members who tell us they would love to live here, that’s an amazing compliment.”

Denise Van Tassell .   
A graduate of the College of Staten Island, County University of New York, Van Tassell received her degree in Nursing.  She continued on to New York Regents College where she completed her Bachelors Degree of Science with a major in Biology.   Van Tassell is an RN, BS, Certified Assisted Living Administrator (CALA) and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA).  She is also President of Varis Health Consultants, an education company approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide training for administrators in New Jersey.  She is chief Operating Officer/Partner of Alcoeur Gardens, New Jersey’s premiere Alzheimer’s and Memory Impaired Living Community.

Meaning “from the heart”, Alcoeur Gardens was named to honor Van Tassell’s mother, Joan, and continues to involve her family in the business including her father, her two daughters and her sister in law. 

“Our staff is incredibly talented and compassionate,” said Van Tassell.  “They become involved with the residents and then become part of their extended family.  We also boast the highest staff to resident ratio available. Residents have access to a full range of failure free, success oriented activities and socialization opportunities.”  At Alcoeur Gardens, residents enjoy entertainment, nature, friendly faces, good food and find personal peace.  “While we promote independent choice encouraging our residents to use their remaining abilities, we also provide comprehensive assistance with bathing, meals, dressing and other activities of daily living. We compensate for their diminished abilities in a dignified way.”

“Besides having an RN on the premises at all times, our medical director makes bi-weekly stops,” said Van Tassell.  We also help families schedule in home physician appointments including dentist, optometrist, ophthalmologist, podiatrist, physical therapist, speech therapist, psychologist, psychiatrists and residents can take advantage of weekly hairdresser and barber visits.” 

A private pay facility, Alcoeur Gardens encourages families to meet with them even if they don’t think this is a possible avenue.  “Talk to us,” said Van Tassell.  “There are a lot of entitlements that individuals and families don’t even know about that they may be eligible for.  For instance, veteran’s benefits may be available.  We can potentially help families find the funding they need for their loved one to become a part of our family.”