No one’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory loss conditions is quite the same. At Glenmere, our mission is to really get to know each person: likes and dislikes, personalities, unique strengths and struggles, and then tailor our care to best serve those particular needs. This focus on the individual is paramount. We work closely with those who know our residents best – their families – to make them feel as secure and at ease as possible. For instance, nursing and clinical staff benefit from knowing the routines of residents and what makes them comfortable. Our activities coordinator wants to know their musical tastes and other recreational interests. Resident care assistants familiarize themselves with certain words a resident may use to describe his or her needs. The list of examples goes on: some residents may be alarmed by the noise of the vacuum cleaner, so our housekeeping staff knows to clean their rooms while they are otherwise engaged elsewhere. One resident may prefer to be called by a nickname, another may wish to be addressed in a more formal way. Mealtimes are another opportunity to provide person-centered care. Late sleepers may enjoy their breakfast when they wake up; residents who are easily confused by which utensil to use are served only a spoon with their soup to eliminate any anxiety. A resident’s favorite meal may be spaghetti, but if it is too difficult for them to manage, ziti may be served as an enjoyable pasta alternative. Individual courses may be served to those who are overwhelmed by an entrée, vegetable and starch all served on one plate. Even finger foods, the best option for some memory care residents, receive a great deal of attention. Andy, our Dining Director, has gone so far as to perfect an easy to eat finger food version of chicken pot pie, the ultimate comfort food!
Though Glenmere’s expansion project was completed a few years ago, we will always be a work in progress based on the needs of our residents. We emphasize what residents can do, not what they can’t. We know our residents for who they are, and create a home for them accordingly.
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