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Why Patients Need the New Alzheimer's Center
| Current Adult Day Health Facility | New Alzheimer's Center |
| Serves
25 clients with Alzheimer’s disease (up to 12 in mid- to late-stage
dementia) per day |
Will be able to serve up
to 60 clients with Alzheimer’s (up to 40 mid- to late-stage)
per day |
| Designed
for the care of people ages 18 and older with physical and/or mental
disabilities |
Designed for the specific,
unique needs of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias |
| Clients
with Alzheimer’s are intermixed with clients who have physical
impairments, so program offerings cannot always be tailored for
their needs |
Program offerings will
be specifically designed to meet the special needs of clients with
dementia and maximize their remaining abilities |
| Clients
with Alzheimer’s receive excellent care, but confusion/anxiety
can result from too much activity or noise and other limitations
of the current space |
Care will be enhanced by
an environment that minimizes confusion, facilitates mental functioning
and allows more independence |
| Space
is not secure, so clients with Alzheimer’s lack freedom to
move around by themselves |
Will provide a safe, secure
space where people with dementia are able to walk and roam |
Alzheimer's disease is more than mere memory loss. It is a fatal disease that brings with it a host of physical, mental and emotional issues. People with Alzheimer's lose not only their memories, but their ability to perform familiar tasks, recognize faces and places, or have an awareness of time and space. As you might imagine, this is extremely distressing. People with Alzheimer's disease suffer from high rates of anxiety, depression and fear as they feel more and more disconnected from the world and those around them.
Improved Mental Health
While there is no drug that can cure or reverse Alzheimer's, nationally
reknowned dementia expert and author David Troxel, MPH, has noted that
"Adult day health care is the treatment
for Alzheimer's disease." Adult day health settings provide dementia
patients with a balance of routine and stimulation, stability and a variety
of engaging activities. Adult day care offers social interaction with
peers as well as support from professional caregivers who can care for
patients' needs without the emotional distress of family caregivers. Spending
time in a specialized adult day health setting can benefit patients' mental
health and emotional well-being.
Improved Physical Health
Adult day health settings can benefit patients' physical health. Physical
and occupational therapies can help people with dementia maintain their
physical abilities for as long as possible. Plus, people with dementia
have the same health needs for movement and exercise as everyone else.
In addition to providing group and individual exercise programs, the New
Alzheimer's Center will allow patients to roam and move without constant
supervision—an important benefit that can help reduce challenging
behaviors, such as wandering, at home.
Better Care at Home
Adult day health care also provides family caregivers with a much-needed
break, which reduces caregiver frustration and anxiety so that the patient
receives better care at home. In addition, support services teach family
members about different ways of interacting with their loved one that
are less frustrating and more productive, making life easier for both
the caregiver and the patient.
Good Design Makes a Difference
Environment plays a critical role in mood and mental functioning for people
with dementia. Commotion, loud noises, bright lights, glare and odors
can cause severe anxiety. Conversely, an environment that is specially
designed for the needs of people with dementia can reduce anxiety and
promote feelings of calm and even joy. The special environment of the
New Alzheimer's Center will enhance the patient care provided by our capable
staff.
