By Kathy L. Collins
One of the hardest decisions a person may have to make is whether or not to place a parent or loved one in an Assisted Living Facility because of dementia related memory issues. Hawthorne Village, located at 859 W. Lumsden Rd. in Brandon, offers peace of mind to caregivers faced with this difficult decision. Hawthorne Village recently opened Garden Court, a state of the art Memory Care Unit.
Charlie White, LPN is Hawthorne Village’s Garden Court Coordinator. “We strive to maximize the resident’s independence for as long as possible. We provide 24 hour supervision, and all of our staff in the unit are trained in Alzheimer care. People need to understand that care for this type of resident is very different. We use prompts to help the resident conduct their activities of daily living,” explained White. “The more you assist, the less helpful the care is. The assistance comes in the form of prompts to get the resident to remember to do what they used to do,” added White.
White added, “This might also include going into the patient’s reality. If they are looking for a deceased spouse, the caregiver might simply say that the spouse has stepped out. They will then use a prompt to help the resident complete the task at hand.”
Hawthorne Village’s Garden Court allows the resident to live independently in a supervised facility. Instead of being isolated at home, the resident can live in a social setting. “This often gives the resident a sense of purpose. They get up and get dressed and engage in all sorts of activities,” said White.
One aspect of memory care is to ensure continuity. At Hawthorne Village’s Garden Court, the residents see the same caregivers every day.
In addition to offering continuity, Hawthorne Village’s Garden Court also offers families consistency with the cost of the care because it is all inclusive. That means that if the resident’s condition dictates the need for physical therapy or occupational therapy, the cost will not increase. Visit www.hawthornevillageofbrandon.com or call 551-8998.
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