Marie sits at a table in the dining room at the memory care center, reading the Washington Post and sipping some iced tea. She greets a visitor who enters with a big smile. She points out the view of a quiet tree-lined street beyond, visible through a wall of windows.
Marie makes conversation with the person passing by about the work she used to do and reminisces about her daughter and son, as if they were still children. The conversation lags a moment, and then Marie repeats what she has already said. Twice. Although Marie doesn’t seem to recall much, she certainly seems to be content.
Similar to Marie, other residents are good-natured and even witty, and often meet a visitor’s gaze directly. Some interact with passers-by, responding to warm greetings from staff; others do not. Some feed themselves; others cannot, and aides assist them. Pictures of residents attending events or on a recent field trip adorn a bulletin board on the wall.
This is what Alzheimer's looks like from the outside looking in, especially in a place where memory care residents are treated with dignity and respect.
New Approaches to Alzheimer's Care Focus on Dignity and Respect
If the top 10 causes of death in the U.S., Alzheimer's is the only one that can't be prevented or cured, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With seniors living longer and more instances of Alzheimer's on the horizon, memory care in senior residences and at home is changing. The focus, experts say, has moved from coping with memory impairment to showing respect for the individual. The goal is to help families and professionals make an attitude adjustment, moving them from a place of grief to one of compassion.
New Practices in Alzheimer's Care
