What does Alzheimer’s mean to you? When I think of Alzheimer’s I think of memory loss, change in behavior, loss of cognitive abilities, and the devastation it leaves with the family. My name is Nicki and I work at Sensations Memory Care Residence. My job title is Marketing and Admissions Director, it sounds fancier than what it really is. Before moving into the admissions position I worked as a caregiver for three years, which I absolutely loved. It’s a nice feeling when you know you have helped someone. I am also a facilitator for the Alzheimer’s Association, which in turn is just as rewarding. Being a facilitator has helped me understand the disease coming from the family members perspective. In my experience I have learned real quickly that the family members go through enough devastation seeing their loved one change so drastically and being able to do anything to help or slow the process. So I have decided to start a blog in hopes I can help someone through this journey and make you feel like you aren’t doing it alone.
Sensations Memory Care Residence is a home away from home. We specialize in dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Our license is a home for the aged. So with that being said for someone to be a resident they must be 60 years of age or older and have the diagnoses of dementia or Alzheimer’s. On another note, if their age is younger than 60, we just have to get a state waiver stating they can be a resident at our establishment. We do have doctors that come to see our patients, we have a nurse on staff, and on call 24 hours a day. Our nurse orders the medications through the local pharmacy so the the family doesn’t have to worry about picking up medications and dropping them off to us. The other services that are available are; podiatry, vision, dental, and hearing. (FYI; these services are an extra expense) These services are very handy because you don’t have to take your loved one out of the facility, which can be hard on them, and you. we are considered a lock down facility, which means you can only enter or exit the building with assistance from a staff member. This helps if you loved one is an elopement risk and can secure them in a safe environment. Also we have an excellent activities department which keeps the residents stimulated throughout the day. They focus on exercise, arts and crafts, games, reminiscing, and many more activities throughout the day. Having a set schedule everyday keeps people focused and calmer which in turn, helps with any behavior issues the residents may have as the day progresses. We really strive for keeping our residents happy and engaged.
As I begin my blog, I hope I can give you some vital information on the process of finding a facility, even signs and symptoms for the disease, and I will help with any areas yo might want to know about, so feel free to ask me questions!! You can always Google about the disease which is always helpful, but it is always reassuring to know at the other end of the computer there is a real human being.
