Berkshire Commons

5485 Perkiomen Avenue in Reading is the address for Berkshire Commons, which offers assisted living and memory care. Genesis HealthCare operates the community. In Pennsylvania, the state license for this type of care is called personal care, so a family may see that term on paperwork even when a community markets itself as assisted living. The two terms describe the same general level of support.

Assisted living, or personal care under Pennsylvania's licensing rules, generally covers help with bathing, dressing and medication, along with meals and staff available for residents throughout the day. A family touring Berkshire Commons should ask exactly which of those services are included in a base rate and which are billed separately, since practices vary by community even within the same operator and can change from one year to the next.

Memory care is offered as a distinct level of support for residents living with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia. That kind of care typically means a more secured setting, staff trained specifically to work with residents who have memory loss, and a daily routine built around consistency rather than a constantly changing schedule that could add to a resident's confusion.

Families comparing Reading-area options can look at senior living in Reading to see other communities nearby, and it helps to ask Berkshire Commons directly for a written list of included services, current apartment availability, and how staff communicate with families about a resident's day-to-day condition and any changes in a care plan.