"The heart that truely loves never forgets. "
Proverb
Welcome to Harmony Village
Notre Dame Long Term Care Center's Special Care Unit provides support and compassion for residents suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Our goal is to help our residents realize their greatest potential, cognitively, physically, psychosocially, and spiritually. To achieve that goal, we provide a caring and secure environment, with specialized personal care, spiritual support, and meaningful, failure-free activities.
Residents with memory impairment have special needs related to the cognitive,
emotional and physical demands of their disease. It takes special consideration
to create a comfortable, home-like atmosphere for these residents.
Before beginning our new direction the care team visited several established
program sites and worked closely with experts in the area of caring for those
with memory impairment.
Here are some of the steps taken at NDLTCC to develop a program that recognizes the individualized care needs of our memory impaired seniors.
- TEAM APPROACH:
- A Multi-Disciplinary Leadership team in place.
- Sophisticated behavioral management program.
- Dedicated full-time social worker.
- Dedicated Activities program.
- DESIGN and FUNCTION:
- Reconfigured Nurses' station and central area.
- Quiet sitting areas for small groups.
- New outdoor patio area.
- Small dining room with appropriate color and pattern.
- Arrangement of art work.
- Activity supplies readily accessible by all shifts in our "activity center."
- Glider rockers to soothe agitation and anxiety.
- Quilts made of various fabrics to benefit those with memory impairment through the power of touch.
- Specialized Staff Training:
- All facility staff receive Alzheimer's training on orientation.
- Harmony Village staff team members are designated trainers and/or Alzheimer's Association certified trainers.
- Resident Culture Change:
- Dining Program.
- Walking Program.
- Consistent assignments
- Sensory Stimulation Program.
- Scents such as lavender are used for calming; bread is baked on unit to stimulate appetite.
- Engineered music is used to alleviate symptoms.
- Namaste Program - Pastoral Care program recognizes the Divine in all people
- Family / Resident Support:
- Ongoing Family Support Group.
- Alzheimer's Memory Impairment Library available for reference.
- Shadow Boxes - located outside each resident room to give staff, families and residents a glimpse into the life of the person with memory impairment. Shadow boxes with pictures and mementos provide a connection between the past and the present.
- "Day Trip" to unit for residents anticipating transfer to Harmony Village. Joining the unit's activities for a day gives the potential new resident, his or her family, and the unit team the opportunity to interact prior to transfer.