Dementia Care at The Meadows at Country Place
Our Team of Friendly Caregivers
There are several common dementia-associated behaviors which require special handling for your loved one’s comfort and well being, beyond the support of essential activities of daily living.
• Wandering
People with dementia wander around. They might be bored, have medication issues or be looking for “something” or someone. They might be trying to fulfill a physical need—thirst, hunger, a need to use the toilet or exercise.
Our center is secure, with cameras and sensors installed to alert staff immediately, should a resident decide to wander beyond monitored areas. We provide regular exercise and entertaining programs to minimize restlessness.
• Agitation
Irritability, sleeplessness, and/or verbally or physically aggressive behaviors: often these types of behavior progress with the stages of dementia, from mild to more severe.
We maintain structure by keeping the same routines, and keeping furniture in the same places. Familiar objects and photographs offer a sense of security and can suggest pleasant memories.
Staff uses gentle touch, and speak in reassuring voices. They do not try to restrain the person during a period of agitation. Instead, they keep dangerous objects out of reach, and allow the person to do as much for himself as possible—supporting his independence and ability to care for himself. Confronting a confused person may increase their anxiety, so our staff will also distract the person with a snack or an activity, allowing him to forget the troubling incident.
• Sleeplessness/Sundowning
Restlessness, agitation, disorientation and other troubling behaviors in people with dementia often get worse at the end of the day and sometimes continue throughout the night. Experts believe this behavior, commonly called sundowning, is caused by a combination of factors.
We have a schedule of daytime activities, including physical exercise. The afternoon and evening hours are quiet and calm and include structured, quiet activity.
• Eating/Nutrition
People with dementia literally begin to forget that they need to eat and drink. The consequences of poor nutrition are extensive.Our daily routine is scheduled around several small healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Our staff provides friendly and easy-going assistance whenever necessary and they allow plenty of time for meals.
Although it can be hard to understand why people with dementia act the way they do, the explanation is attributable to their disease and the changes it causes in the brain.
What is Dementia?
Learn more
Brain disease causes the vast majority of dementia cases. The damage from these diseases results in the destruction of brain cells integral to language, reasoning, memory, and emotion, and produces the symptoms of dementia, which vary greatly. At least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:
• Memory
• Communication and language
• Ability to focus and pay attention
• Reasoning and judgment
• Visual perception
Alzheimer’s Organization is a great resource for information about dementia, and ways to deal with it.
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The Meadows at Country Place
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