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Winters Plumbing Pros Offer Tips to Prevent Pipes from Freezing

wintersVans1With artic temperatures and extremely low wind chill this week, Winters Home Services, an award-winning provider of plumbing, heating, cooling, and air quality services to residents throughout the greater Boston area, shares tips on how to prevent pipes from freezing.

“Pipes get cold, and they need warmth just like we do. Homeowners should properly insulate them and take steps to avoid pricy disasters,” explained Tim Flynn, owner of Winters Home Services.

Here are a few tips from the Winters plumbing pros:

The pipes under the kitchen and bathroom cabinets are usually not insulated, but those areas are considered “cold space”. Be sure to open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes. (Remove any hazardous household cleaners when leaving doors open, so children and pets do not have access to them.)

Turn on your water taps in the kitchen and bathrooms to a slow drip/trickle, as this prevents the pipes from freezing.

At night, leave your thermostat set at the same daytime temperature.

The basement, attic and garage are unheated areas where water supply lines may be located. These pipes need to be insulated in order to prevent them from freezing. There are specific products that may be found at most home improvement stores such UL-listed “heat tape” or a “pipe sleeve” which may be used to protect exposed water pipes. In a pinch, you can also use layers of newspaper to wrap the exposed pipes to protect them during freezing temperatures until you can properly insulate them.

“By taking these measures to prevent your pipes from freezing, your water and heating bills may be slightly higher this month, but you’ll have avoided a very costly repair job due to frozen or burst pipes,” noted Flynn.

If your pipes do freeze, you can safely treat them by applying heat to a section of pipe using a hair dryer on the pipe or by wrapping an electric heating pad around the pipe. Or, instead wrap towels soaked in hot water around the pipe. Turn the tap on while you apply the heat, so as the water starts to flow, it will further help melt the ice in the pipe. Never use any sort of open flame or open flame device to defrost the pipes.

If you need guidance or service for frozen pipes, contact the Winters team at 617-776-5950.

About Winters Home Services

Founded in 1994, Winters Home Services is an award-winning service company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in plumbing, heating, cooling, drain cleaning and air quality services. Offering the first-to-market CarePlus Home Monitoring Program and lifetime guarantees on many of their services, the company focuses on high quality workmanship and consistent world-class customer service. Winters Home Services promises to fulfill the needs of every customer with a sense of urgency, ensuring comfort, safety and well-being.

Winters Home Services is one of the largest residential plumbing companies in the greater Boston-area with a large fleet on the road and a full staff of licensed and insured plumbers and technicians.  Dedicated to supporting the community, Winters is a sponsor of the Duckling Day Parade annual Mother’s Day event and a partner of the Friends of the Public Garden, a non-profit organization that works to protect and improve Boston’s first public parks: the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The company is an ongoing supporter of events at Club Café. For more information, call 866-482-7586 or visit wintershomeservices.com.

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VoiceNation’s “Operation Give Back” Makes Children’s Holiday Brighter

L to R - LeeAnna Channell, VoiceNation's Marketing and Video Assistant with Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT and Amber Mooney, VoiceNation's Outreach Coordinator.
L to R – LeeAnna Channell, VoiceNation’s Marketing and Video Assistant with Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT and Amber Mooney, VoiceNation’s Outreach Coordinator.

VoiceNation, the industry leader in live answering and virtual receptionist services, has made the holidays a bit brighter for dozens of local children.

“Operation Give Back” is the name given to VoiceNation’s outreach effort to help ensure local children living in shelters and those in need of assistance receive gifts this holiday season. The program is in its third consecutive year and a highly sought after volunteer initiative among VoiceNation employees.

VoiceNation president Jay Reeder explains, “It is not only an enormous privilege, but a responsibility to care for those less fortunate. Through Operation Give Back, we have the opportunity to show love and kindness to children in our local community while spreading holiday cheer and good fortunes to the families we’re able to help.”

Like years before, VoiceNation equipped its staff with Operation Give Back profile folders complete with the child’s name; gender; age; holiday wish list; preferences, such as their favorite color, clothing size, favorite activities, and hobbies; as well as funds to purchase the gifts. Between the detailed profile and hype surrounding this initiative, employees are personally drawn and connected to their child in need and purchase gifts with incredible enthusiasm and heart.

“December is a time for giving and as a company, we see the generosity of this initiative reflecting through the actions of our staff. Many go above and beyond to personally provide gifts for these children, who they have never met, but have touched their hearts in a unique and special way,” added Reeder.

VoiceNation donated gifts to Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT) and Good News At Noon to support a total of 46 children ranging in age from one to 16 years old from 15 families.

“It means a great deal to the parents. They’re so amazed that anonymous donors would provide an avenue for a parent to give their kid Christmas with nothing in return,” said Ashley Anderson, Executive Director of SAFFT.

According to Hannah Parker, Children and Youth Director for Good News At Noon, “The kids are going to feel so special. Operation Give Back is an answer to our prayer for them.”

The gifts, which ranged from bicycles, books and toys to clothing, games and more, were delivered to SAFFT and Good News At Noon on December 17th.

A large part of VoiceNation’s company culture revolves around their Employee Volunteer Program, which encourages staff to give back and get involved by helping others.  Through the program, every staff member has an opportunity to volunteer and work towards a cause they feel passionate about, on a local, national, or global scale.

To learn more about SAFFT, visit http://safft.org/. To learn more about Good News At Noon, visit http://www.goodnewsatnoon.org.

About VoiceNation

VoiceNation is a leading provider of 24-hour live answering services and call center solutions. Named “Top Provider in Industry” by PC World, VoiceNation is positioned as a knowledge leader with innovations in pricing, service, and proprietary open source technology.

Over 50,000 businesses worldwide, including Comedy Central, Delta, Dunkin’ Donuts, Rolls Royce, and StateFarm trust VoiceNation as their professional telephone answering service. Founded in 2002, VoiceNation is a privately-held company that invests heavy emphasis in staff development and community outreach opportunities.

To learn more about VoiceNation, visit http://www.qualityansweringservice.com.

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Falconi Energy Announces “2 Cent Tuesdays” to Support Senior Center Programs

Falconi gas station 2 no pricesFalconi Energy, a leading supplier of premium heating oil and a full-service heating and cooling company based in Southborough, MA, is kicking off the New Year by bringing back “2 Cent Tuesdays” at their Shell gas station at 29 Boston Road in Southborough.

How “2 Cent Tuesdays” Works

Beginning in January and running throughout the year, two cents from every gallon of gasoline sold on Tuesdays will be donated to Southborough Council on Aging (COA). Falconi Energy will present the COA with a check every quarter of fiscal year 2015. The money donated supports many senior events as well as the purchase of supplies and furnishings.

“It all adds up. In previous years, our donations from ‘2 Cent Tuesdays’ averaged about $6,000 annually. Consider filling up your gas tank on Tuesdays at our Shell station to support the Southborough Senior Center,” said Jim Falconi, owner of the 79 year-old Falconi Energy company.

Community Outreach

Falconi Energy is dedicated to giving back to the community. In addition to “2 Cent Tuesdays”, the company holds the annual Falconi Golf Tournament. The tournament is in its 24th year and is run by the Friends of the COA, a non-profit fundraising group that supports the COA.  Jim Falconi is a member of the Friends of the COA. He sponsored four holes in the 2014 golf tournament and funded three foursomes. The event raised over $10K for the COA.

About Southborough COA

Southborough COA provides the town’s seniors with a variety of activities, services and events. For more information, contact 508-229-4453 or visit http://southboroughseniors.com.

Falconi Energy – The Home Comfort Experts

Since 1935, Falconi Energy (formerly known as Falconi Brothers) has been providing fuel to residents and businesses in Southborough and beyond.  Owned and operated by the Falconi family for three generations, Falconi Energy, has become a major force in the home comfort industry.

Falconi Energy is a leading supplier of premium heating oil and other quality fuels as well as a full-service heating and cooling company. Falconi Energy offers gas, propane, and oil fired heating and domestic hot water system service and installation, as well as complete HVAC service and installation. Their staff of 20 and modern, well-maintained fleet of delivery trucks, service vans, and installation vehicles, enable them to serve thousands of customers in the MetroWest/Worcester area.

Falconi Energy caters to customers in Southborough and surrounding communities including Ashland, Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Framingham, Grafton, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Upton and Westborough. The company is located at 29 Boston Road, P.O. Box 301 Southborough, MA 01772. For more information, visit http://www.falconienergy.com or contact (508) 485-0377.

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Old Colony Elder Services Offers 6-Week Diabetes Self-Management Program for Seniors at Rockland COA

Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES
Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the Brockton based regional agency serving older adults and individuals with disabilities throughout the greater Plymouth County and Brockton areas, will offer a six-week Diabetes Self-Management Program at the Rockland Council on Aging (COA), located at 317 Plain Street.

The Diabetes Self-Management Program will be held on Wednesdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. beginning January 28, 2015 through March 4, 2015. Because diabetes affects older adults at a much higher rate than younger adults, the program is geared towards older adults and their caregivers. Patricia Livie and Donna-Marie Forand, Outreach and Education Specialists at OCES, will lead the sessions.

The Diabetes Self-Management Program is an evidence-based program developed at Stanford University designed to help individuals develop a greater awareness of their role in disease management. It is for newly diagnosed older adults with Type II diabetes.  Attendees will learn about common problems with diabetes, how to read food labels, enhance communication, advocate for themselves and create an action plan.

“The goal of the Diabetes Self-Management Program is to help people choose healthy eating behaviors they would like to follow and to design strategies for incorporating these behaviors into daily life. Setting weekly goals, making an action plan, giving feedback and sharing experiences are a significant part of each workshop session,” explained Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES.

This is a free workshop. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, contact Donna-Marie Forand at 508-584-1561, extension 237.

About OCES

Founded in 1974, OCES serves 20 communities in Plymouth County as well as Avon, Easton and Stoughton. OCES is a private, non-profit organization located in Brockton and designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES’ mission is to support the independence and dignity of elders and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living. The agency has 201 employees and operates more than 15 programs serving older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

 

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Floored by downtime. How downtime escalates construction and maintenance costs.

Thomas Ricciardelli
Thomas Ricciardelli of SelecTech, Inc.

AVON, MA…

Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or worker, the words “downtime” can literally send your heart into palpitations. While the most common inference of downtime is being without computer access, downtime can be as costly if work has to stop for other reasons: like building maintenance and construction.

“Whether it’s from a network crash or productivity and revenues being interrupted due to anything ranging from unplanned crises to new flooring being installed, downtime is downtime and the intangible and financial losses can be exorbitant,” said Thomas Ricciardelli, president of SelecTech, Inc., a leader in the manufacture of innovative flooring products from recycled materials.

How much? It depends on the industry. In the auto industry, it is estimated that one minute of stopped production, or downtime, costs an average of $22,000 but can run as high as $50,000 per minute.

While there are a number of formulas to estimate how much downtime costs, most relate to network issues. For downtime for buildings and space undergoing renovation, other formulas can be utilized. In the retail world, that measure is sales per square foot.

For example, a 10,000 square-foot store with average sales revenues of $25,000 per day yields revenue downtime costs of $2.50 per square foot. If one flooring product can save three days of downtime during a renovation, that calculates to $7.50 per square foot of downtime savings, or $75,000.

When you factor that equation for some of the top retailers in the U.S., the downtime costs can skyrocket. For example, Apple is the top retail outlet at $4551 per square foot per year. Divided by 363 sales days, the downtime cost equals $12.54 per square foot per day. With the average Apple Store being 8,400 square feet, downtime for construction or renovation—even for a fairly short time span—can have considerable cost implications. And that’s something property owners are taking into consideration.

“The common perception in the construction world is the job goes to the lowest bidder,” said Ricciardelli. “In recent years, that’s been changed. Savvy purchasers are now looking at their total cost of ownership, including downtime, and making their buying decisions based on the most efficient values available. There are a lot of reasons why businesses purchase our flooring, but the most often mentioned is lack of downtime during installation and maintenance.”

Utilizing a breakthrough interlocking technology, SelecTech products completely bypass the need for adhesives and floor prep to install or replace flooring. This dramatically reduces installation times because old flooring can be left in place and machinery and furniture does not have to be completely moved or removed for installation. Installation of SelecTech flooring does not require adhesives, which enables it to be installed without extensive and time-consuming floor preparation or moisture mitigation.

SelecTech flooring products are made using recycled material and are 100 percent recyclable. So, SelecTech not only reduces and eliminates downtime, but contributes to the green efforts of manufacturers, retail outlets and other larger facilities.

Another benefit of SelecTech flooring, specifically anti-static flooring products like the FreeStyle ESD product, is that it can have a sustainable impact on computer network operations. SelecTech’s ESD flooring products safely dissipate harmful static electricity and can minimize the likelihood of system crashes and data interruption. That’s why industries such as electronics manufacturing, communications, aerospace, biotech and healthcare where electronics and sensitive data must be protected utilize SelecTech ESD flooring.

To learn more about SelecTech products, including its FreeStyle ESD flooring products, visit http://www.selectechinc.com.

About SelecTech, Inc.

SelecTech, Inc. was founded in 1993 with the mission of creating valuable products from scrap plastics. The company has become a leader in the manufacture of flooring products from recycled materials and uses one million pounds of recycled materials annually. Their products are made with up to 100 percent recycled content, are 100 percent recyclable and installed without adhesives making them some of the “greenest” and most cost-effective flooring products available. The unique interlock system on SelecTech’s flooring products enable them to be installed at a much lower cost, without a lot of costly downtime, which provides significant value to customers.

Using state-of-the-art technology and innovative product design, SelecTech created the top performing Place N’ Go residential flooring products, which are available at Home Depot. They are also the creators of the renowned commercial and industrial FreeStyle, FreeStyle ESD and StaticStop ESD flooring lines.

SelecTech is a vendor partner of Health Care Institute, an International Facility Management Association (IFMA) alliance partner. The company is headquartered at 33 Wales Avenue, Suite F in Avon, MA. For more information about SelecTech, visit http://www.selectechinc.com.

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My Pinnacle Network announces January 2015 schedule of B2B networking meetings.

BOURNE, BRAINTREE, MARSHFIELD, MANSFIELD, NEWTON, PLYMOUTH, WESTBOROUGH, MA …

My Pinnacle Network recently announced a full slate of business-to-business networking meetings for January. My Pinnacle Network meetings are as follows:

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree 1st Tuesday, Tuesday, January 6, from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184.

My Pinnacle Network – Westborough, Tuesday, January 6, from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m at 1900 West Park Drive, Suite 230, Westborough, MA 01581.

My Pinnacle Network – Mansfield, Wednesday, January 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., 20 Cabot Blvd., Suite 300, Mansfield, MA 02048.

My Pinnacle Network – Marshfield, Thursday, January 8, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 165 Enterprise Drive, Marshfield, MA 02050.

My Pinnacle Network – Plymouth, Thursday, January 8, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at 134 Court Street (Plymouth Chamber of Commerce), Plymouth, MA 02360.

My Pinnacle Network – Newton, Thursday, January 8, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 29 Crafts Street (Aflac offices), Newton, MA 02458.

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree Third Thursday, Thursday, January 15, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184.

My Pinnacle Network – Bourne, Thursday, January 22, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m., 550 MacArthur Blvd. (Route 28), Bourne, MA 02532.

Only one B2B professional will be selected for each category. Those categories can be found at http://mypinnaclenetwork.com/about/categories.aspx. Prospective members are encouraged to attend a My Pinnacle Network meeting before committing to join.

If you are interested in attending a meeting in your area, please contact Steven V. Dubin at SDubin@MyPinnacleNetwork.com or 781-582-1061 to RSVP. There is no charge to visit a My Pinnacle Network meeting.

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Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café Offers Financing Options for Kiosk Franchise

1Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café, the unique bakery café and bagel shop with locations throughout Connecticut recently announced new financing options for the Between Rounds’ Kiosk franchise program.

Between Rounds’ co-founder and franchisor, Jerry Puiia, has secured three financing companies, Benetrends, FranchiseLeasing.com and The Stratford Group, to help new franchisees with financing of Kiosk operations.

According to Puiia, “Our reputation for offering fresh, high quality food at affordable prices is key, and when combined with a lower entry point for the potential franchisee and special financing options, it’s a win.”

Between Rounds franchised their first Kiosk store model in Tolland in 2013. That successful franchise, owned and operated by Sami Kahn, is located at 206 Merrow Road, at the Citgo Express Gas Station.

Between Rounds’ Kiosk business model is unique in that it enables convenience and gas station store owners to increase profits from their existing locations through repeat customers who not only purchase gas but also Between Rounds specialty coffee, fresh made breakfast and lunch sandwiches, fresh baked bagels and assorted bakery items.  Ultimately, store traffic increases and leads to additional sales from products that are already sold.

The Between Rounds Kiosk store has low start-up costs and requires an overall investment of approximately $120K for a standard store with no drive-thru.

He continued, “The Between Rounds Kiosk franchise opportunity has low start-up costs compared to similar franchises, and utility and facility maintenance costs are only minimally increased.  Best of all, we make it easy to operate and train existing staff using our detailed training guides and checklists.  Not only does an owner enjoy additional profits from their existing location…all those profits from increased sales stay in the owner’s pocket.”

For more information about the Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café opportunities, visit http://franchise.betweenroundsbagels.com.

About Between Rounds

Founded in 1990, Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café is a unique bakery café and bagel shop renowned for their fresh, baked-on site bagels and baked goods as well sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, specialty coffee and a unique line of giftware.  Between Rounds offers patrons an upscale, fast-casual dining experience with free Wi-Fi and the added convenience of a drive-thru window.

Between Rounds is expanding and franchise opportunities are available. In 2013, the company was selected as a Military Friendly Franchise®, which places Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café in an elite group and is testimony to the company’s commitment to supporting military veterans interested in franchise opportunities.

Between Rounds’ current locations include South Windsor, Vernon, Manchester and Tolland.  Corporate headquarters are located at 19A John Fitch Blvd, Route 5 in South Windsor, CT.  For more information about Between Rounds franchise opportunities contact (860) 291-0323 or visit www.betweenroundsbagels.com.

 

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Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hingham’s Ben Marshall receives 2015 Tailwind Operator of the Year award

photo of Ben Marshall of Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hingham
Ben Marshall of Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hingham

HINGHAM, MA and HANOVER, MA…

Tailwind Systems, the premier dry cleaning and laundry management system, recently awarded Ben Marshall, owner of Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hingham, with the Tailwind Systems Manager of the Year Award. Marshall received this honor in a ceremony at Lapels’ 184 Lincoln Street, Hingham location.

Said Tailwind Systems Owner Don DesRosiers, “Smart people are not the ones that know everything; they are the ones that have a thirst for knowledge.  A smart person is a sponge, and in Ben’s case, with no experience in this business, he never once pretended that he knew everything.  Instead, he has proved to be one of my best students.”

Tailwind is a tagging, assembly, work-flow management and labor saving system that saves dry cleaning plant owners tens of thousands annually. Tailwind Systems products include Tailwind Shirt System, the Tailwind System for Drycleaning, Firestorm for Restoration Drycleaning, the Tailwind System for Automated Assembly and Tailwind for Hotel Valet. Lapels Dry Cleaning employs Tailwind Systems in all their franchise locations across the country.

“One of the many things that drew me to purchase a Lapels Dry Cleaning franchise was the systems in place that are tailor-made for people from any walk of life to be successful. Key among those was the Tailwind System,” said Marshall, who also owns Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hanover. “Being recognized by an industry expert like Don after being completely new to the dry cleaning business just a few years ago is more than I could have imagined when I was starting out. It’s really quite an honor.”

In addition to Tailwind Systems, Lapels employs a number of systems to create an eco-friendly dry cleaning experience. Most recently, Lapels signed a partnership agreement with GreenEarth®, the dry cleaning industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative for its newer locations.  Using these kinds of solutions and the latest technology in equipment, Lapels is one of the few dry cleaners able to boast that there is no hazardous waste in their process. Their environmentally-friendly cleaning process has no odor and is gentler on clothes, thus lengthening the life of clothes.

Lapels Dry Cleaning also sets itself apart with its customer service. Lapels customers are greeted to a warm and inviting reception area, with friendly customer service representatives, and alteration services.

Lapels offers it’s customers Automatic Rewards earning them credit towards free dry cleaning for every dollar they spend, Loyalty Programs, a VIP Program which eliminates the need to wait in line, the use of a 24 Hour Drop Off Service and FREE Home Delivery to all its customers. Same day service is also available with pick-up after 5 pm.

“Congratulations to Ben and the team at Lapels Dry Cleaning of Hingham,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. “The Tailwinds Systems are the best of the best dry cleaning systems out there and being recognized by Don really is quite an accomplishment.”

For complete information on Lapels Dry Cleaning, please visit www.mylapels.com. 

Lapels Dry Cleaning – Environmentally Friendly Cleaners
Each Lapels Dry Cleaning store offers a full slate of services, including: same-day dry cleaning; shirt service; tailoring; shoe repair; wedding gown preservation; suede and leather processing; box storage and fur storage. Lapels Dry Cleaning has stores in Arizona (Gilbert, Chandler), California (Poway), Colorado (Littleton), Connecticut (Cromwell), Louisiana (Monroe, West Monroe, Delhi, Rayville, Winnsboro), Massachusetts (Abington, Allston, Bedford, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Cohasset, Dedham, Easton, Framingham, Franklin, Hanover, Hingham, Marshfield, Natick, Needham, Newtonville, Norton, Quincy, Walpole, Westford, Westwood and Wilmington), Mississippi (New Albany), Missouri (Wildwood), New Jersey (Brick, Freehold and Verona), Ohio (Liberty Township), Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg), Rhode Island (Lincoln); South Carolina (Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Surfside Beach); Texas (Austin, Bee Cave, Brownsville, Cedar Park). Additional locations are coming soon to Jacksonville, FL, Fleming Island, Tampa and Orange Park, FL, Boston Seaport, MA, Scottsdale, AZ, Yuma, AZ, Oxford, MS and Fulton, MS.

Lapels Dry Cleaning has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s 26th Annual “Franchise 500” as well as Entrepreneur’s “Top 50 New Franchises,” identifying Lapels Dry Cleaning as one of today’s top franchise opportunities. Entrepreneur’s “Franchise 500” is the best and most comprehensive rating of franchises in the world and is based on objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.

Lapels Dry Cleaning corporate offices are located at 962 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.

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Memory care by design…South Coast Improvement adds memory unit construction services

MARION, MA…

Americans are living longer and subsequently more people are residing in nursing homes, assisted living and senior living facilities. What’s placed an added burden on these facilities is the growing proportion of that senior population suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia—44 percent of seniors between the ages of 75 and 84. This epidemic has forced most of these facilities to incorporate a memory unit for these residents—either as part of a renovation or as an addition.

“Renovating an assisted living facility to include a memory unit presents some unique challenges as you’re creating a space for people who have different issues and require more specialized care than your other residents,” said Tom Quinlan, president of South Coast Improvement, a general contractor that’s provided design/build services to nursing homes, assisted living and senior living facilities since the company’s beginnings in 1997. “The main issue is you have people that need special attention that keeps them out of the mainstream of the rest of the facility. At the same time, you don’t want them to feel isolated or imprisoned.”

In working with architects and designers on memory units, Quinlan recommends self-contained “neighborhoods”. Typically, those consist of 10 to 14 residents but can be altered depending on the needs of the program, staffing and the level of dementia being served, and whether multiple levels of dementia are being served in a single unit.

Another attribute of memory units are dedicated spaces for care and programming. These include common spaces for group activity, living, dining and therapy areas – all of which entice individuals to leave their apartments and socialize with other residents and staff. Some memory care units can have specialized spaces such as a greenhouse, therapy kitchen where residents (with supervision) can prepare their favorite recipes, a music therapy space with piano, a laundry that allows residents to participate and a library.

Memory care unit space should also provide space for residents to move around, specifically interior and exterior paths for walking and wandering. Interior circulation loops and “destination points” (e.g., alcoves with chairs, desks and reading lamps) provide a neighborhood feel and encourage residents to explore and interact with others. Whether interior or exterior, visual clues and wayfinding techniques are critical elements of the design.

“How the memory care unit space progresses is critical. There should be a secure progression of space, from public to private, from the entry to the common neighborhood areas and, eventually, to residents’ apartments,” adds Quinlan. “The entry should be to a secure, supervised area vs. into an apartment corridor. Service areas and room relationships also are important and should include transitions from secured apartments to a supervised dining, living or activity space.”

Adds Quinlan, “There are other design elements to be considered. You want the space to have a homey feel as opposed to institutional. There are other things, like individual showers for each resident that, for obvious reasons, feature secure valving or other methods of staff control.”

For more information South Coast Improvement’s memory care unit design/build services, please call 508-748-6545 or visit www.southcoastimprovement.com.

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