Alzheimer's Patient Prayer
Alzheimer's Bill of Rights
Our
team consists of Activity Professionals, Nurses
and Social Workers. All with many years of
experience working with Alzheimer's residents
and managing Alzheimer's Units.
Not every state has certified Alzheimer's Units. Not every state requires
Certified Alzheimer's Units. As facilities take more residents with this
diagnosis, will they be prepared? We have already seen case after case of
residents wandering out of the buildings where there have been tragic results.
Alzheimer's and dementia threatens to strike some 14 million Americans by
the year 2050. Facilities need to begin designing and implementing Alzheimer's
Units.
The
administration for the long term care facilities
must not only safeguard and protect the residents
but also educate their staff. Education will
provide the necessary tools for staff to work
effectively with the Alzheimer's resident.
An educated staff may also help reduce staff
burn out. Most facilities report that the
staff is eager to learn new information, techniques
and communication skills.
Implementing
an Alzheimer's Locked Unit does not have to
be an expensive undertaking. For some, the
facilities may only need to add minor changes,
for others, major design changes are required.
Look
at your current unit, do you have the following
criteria:
A
nurses station on the proposed Alzheimer's
unit?
A dining area large enough for activities on the Alzheimer's unit?
An outside area that could be designated for the Alzheimer's Unit? It does
not have to be directly off the unit.
Alternative
Solutions provides the following services
that are necessary if you wish to certify
your unit.
-
Policy & Procedure
Manual
-
Environment
Design
Making it home like, safe and stimulating.
-
Contract Agreement
*Criteria for Admission to the Unit
*Criteria for Discharge off the Unit (Step Down)
-
Training and
Certification of Staff (Class Room Instructions,
Overheads, Hand outs, Videos, and Skits)
-
16 Hour Training
Session in the following areas:
· Introduction to Alzheimer's and dementia - Overview
· Feelings: Clues to behavior
· Wandering - "Keeping Him Safe"
· Repetitive Behaviors
· Aggressive Behaviors and Catastrophic Reactions
· Depression and Alzheimer's Disease
· Paranoia and Hallucinations
· Intimacy and Sexuality
· Communication
· Personal Care: Toileting, Eating and Swallowing, Sleep Disturbances,
Dressing
· Activities
· Environment: Changes that make a difference
· Staff and Family: Working Together
· Infantilism: Recognize and Stop It
-
Nursing Forms
*GDS & FAST Test
*Documentation and Notes
-
Care Planning
*Unique Approaches
*Wandering
*Repetitive Behavior
-
Medication
Issues
-
Recreation
Calendar Design for Alzheimer's Units
*Staff Training and Development
*Parallel Programming
*Clustering
-
Social Service
Programs for Families
*Family Support Group for the Unit
*Alzheimer's Association Support Groups for the Community
*Literature/Library Set Up
-
Physician
Clinical Monthly Meetings
*Setting the Agenda
-
Garden Design
for Outside Unit
*Wandering Paths, Whisper Glides, Environment
-
Alternative
Programs, such as Sensory Stimulation
-
Dietary Concerns
*Late Risers
*Individualized Approaches
*Adaptive Devices, Finger Foods, etc.
-
Unit Director
Training
-
Security Monitoring
System
-
Marketing
*What type of clientele are you marketing this unit to?
*Unique Marketing Strategies & Approaches
*Training your staff on the concepts
*Concepts to use when touring
-
Admission
Training
*Explaining the contract in a positive way to the family
*Touring
-
Staffing Levels
-
Environmental
Rounds and why its important
-
Criteria for
other residents in the facility to spend
the day on the unit for supervision
For
more information on specialized Alzheimer's
Unit Development Services, please contact
us.
Alternative Solutions
in Long Term Care
103
Valley View Trail
Sparta, NJ 07871
973.729.6601 973.729.1560 fax
www.activitytherapy.com
