EverTogether: Brookridge's Couples Memory Care

A dementia diagnosis changes everything. But for most couples, one of the hardest parts is not the diagnosis itself. It is what comes next. In most senior living communities, a diagnosis means separation. The partner with memory loss moves to a memory care unit. The caregiving spouse stays behind. Two people who have shared a life are suddenly living it apart.

ThriveMore, the faith-based nonprofit that owns and operates Brookridge, decided that did not have to be the way.

Introducing EverTogether

EverTogether is a first-of-its-kind couples memory care residence currently under development at Brookridge in Winston-Salem. Conceived by ThriveMore President and CEO Reed VanderSlik and developed in partnership with national architecture firm CJMW Architecture and dementia care experts Dementia by Day, EverTogether is designed around a simple but powerful idea: couples should be able to stay together, even when one partner needs memory care.

The residence will include 12 homes, each thoughtfully designed to allow couples to live side by side. Each home includes a studio apartment connected to care services at the back, ensuring that the partner living with dementia receives expert, around-the-clock support while the caregiving spouse has access to meaningful relief and resources of their own. When the caregiving spouse is unavailable, trained staff are there to step in.

Why This Matters

The emotional toll of separation on couples navigating dementia is well documented. Familiar routines, shared spaces, and the simple presence of a lifelong partner all play a meaningful role in quality of life for someone living with Alzheimer's or a related condition. Removing those things abruptly, as most care models require, can accelerate cognitive decline and compound grief for both partners.

EverTogether takes a different approach. By keeping couples together in a purpose-built environment, the residence honors the relationship while still delivering the specialized care that memory loss demands. The caregiving spouse is not left to manage alone, and the partner with dementia is not left without the person they know best.

Recognized for Groundbreaking Design

The innovative design behind EverTogether has already earned national attention. Environments for Aging Magazine named the project an honorable mention in its 29th Annual Design Showcase, which recognizes the most forward-thinking design solutions in senior living spaces. Jurors praised the project's application of memory care requirements to the retirement villa building type, calling it a bold and needed new model. The recognition speaks to what ThriveMore and its partners set out to build: not just a new building, but a new standard of care.

Memory Care at Brookridge Today

EverTogether is the newest expression of Brookridge's commitment to memory care, but it builds on a foundation that is already strong. Memory care at Brookridge is guided by Mindful Impressions, our signature dementia care program developed in partnership with Rachael Wonderlin and her team at Dementia by Day. Mindful Impressions embraces each resident's reality, offering dementia-focused programming, small group activities, and an environment intentionally designed around the needs of those living with cognitive impairment. Team members receive five and a half hours of dedicated dementia education, going well beyond the brief overviews that are standard at most communities.

Part of a Full Continuum

EverTogether and Mindful Impressions sit within a broader continuum of care that includes independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and short-term rehabilitation, all on Brookridge's 46-acre wooded campus in northwest Winston-Salem. For couples planning ahead, that continuum means both partners can find a home at Brookridge long before a diagnosis and remain connected to that home no matter what changes.

Brookridge is a Life Plan Community owned and operated by ThriveMore, a faith-based, not-for-profit organization serving North Carolina seniors since 1951. If you would like to learn more about EverTogether or life at Brookridge, contact our team to schedule a visit.