When it comes to navigating memory loss, we treat our residents with the same love and care that we would expect for our own loved ones. That means being by their side to flip through their favorite scrapbook – then filling up the blank pages with pictures of their new Best Friend.
The Power of Daily Rhythms
Through the Daily Rhythms program, we’re proud to respond to the needs of our residents by providing opportunities for engagement from morning until night, every day. These activities have been designed to meet their individual needs, and the order in which the categories of activities occur helps to set and maintain a healthy, support energy pattern.
Activities include Vitality (physical exercise/range of motion), Keeping it Sharp (cognitive challenges/sensory stimulation), Artisans (creative expression projects), and Connections (physical or cognitive social games).
These activities have been designed to provide higher energy patterns in the mid-morning and the late afternoon, while offering a recharging rest period immediately after lunch. Such daily patterns assist those with memory challenges to channel their energy appropriately.
The Best Friends Approach
Inspired by David Troxel and Virginia Bell’s Best Friends™ Approach to Dementia Care, our BFF Approach provides our residents with Best Friends to join them on their journey in our Memory Care communities. These team members reinforce their lives with empathy, positivity, and an unwavering commitment to creating fulfilling, positive experiences. If you’re known for your love of hot sauce, our caregivers will make sure it’s always at the table. If you have a favorite song, you’ll always be able to enjoy it in the company of someone who cares. We celebrate what makes each resident unique, and we shape their experiences based on their individual life stories.
We learn their life stories. If he’s known for his love of hot sauce, we make sure it’s always at the table. If she used to boogie to country western music, we’ll dance with her to her favorite hits. At our campus, who they are defines their experience, not the other way around.
We communicate in ways that work for them. We encourage connection with both non-verbal and verbal communication. Smiles, hugs, cues and compliments can go a long way. By offering our residents simple life choices and asking for their opinions, we help them feel valued and in charge of their own lives.
We use our activities as a time to connect. Whether we’re cooking a favorite recipe, enjoying music & art, exercising, spending time outdoors, watching videos or sharing stories, our goal is always the same: to enjoy one another’s company as best friends do.
To learn more about how we care for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, visit our Memory Care page located here.