Great Information

I was lacking 3 continuing education hours for my assisted living administrators license renewal.  So Friday afternoon, I came home early and got on the computer to do an online class through Easy CEU.com.  What a great resource!  There were 3 different classes by Jolene Brackey.  I've mentioned her before as the author of the book "Creating Moments of Joy".  I have never been able to hear her speak in person, so the online video module was very inspiring.  I chose to do the class called "Creating a Safe Haven".  It was a class designed for people that are thinking about building or creating a Memory care facility.  But so many of the tips she mentioned have application for those caring for someone at home as well.  Little things like dark colors are seen as holes, especially in flooring.  If you have walls painted a light color in the bathroom, the fixtures blend in.  Way too many ideas for me to relate here, but it is a reminder about the many resources that are available now.

As a facility person, her insights do seem to point out that there are many things you can do in a facility that you can't do at home.  Certainly there is the social aspect of a facility.  She says that folks with dementia do better in a setting with others with dementia.  I can see that as the disease progresses.  But in my experience, early in the disease, they function well with other seniors that have more physical, medical issues.  I heartily agree that a small setting is best for those with dementia.  The large, hotel type setting of many assisted living and independent living communities would be overwhelming.  Creating a space to walk (some label it as wandering), both outside and indoors certainly is easier to create in a facility setting.  Having lots of pockets, cabinets, drawers of "stuff" to keep people engaged would seem to be more easily done in a facility that at home.  The idea of camouflaging areas you don't want them to use would seem to be easier to do in a facility as well.

She references a couple other resources as well.  Elizabeth Brawley has written a book (quite expensive) about designing for dementia.  I'm pretty sure my boss bought that when they were looking into creating a memory care building.  She also suggests reading the book "My Journey into Alzheimer's Disease" by Robert Davis.  If I wasn't trying to put myself on a book diet, I would have that in my cart at Amazon.com already.
It is refreshing to hear someone with such insight and a love for people with dementia give ideas.  It is inspiring for me as well to try to share some of those ideas with the support group.  We all need some refreshment at times.  How thankful I am for a boss that supports my learning.  I just hope it will help me to help others in their own journey.