Every person living with dementia has a unique story to tell. Everyone’s journey through the aging process and maze of illness follows a distant path. Because of this, each person experiences dementia in a very different way.
The more we can learn about the person’s past experiences, preferences, challenges and successes, the better we can address their current needs and honor their uniqueness as an individual.
Caring for the ‘whole person’ living with dementia, means not only meeting their physical needs, but it’s equally vital to address their social, emotional, mental and spiritual needs to ensure that their lives continue to hold meaning and purpose.
Focusing on remaining abilities while minimizing disability, and assisting the person to remain as independent as possible will help to preserve dignity, individuality and self-esteem.
Meaningful moments are crucial and occur throughout the course of a typical day for a person living with dementia. Dining, walking in the courtyard, sitting in the parlor or participating in a group activity can all contain meaningful moments. It’s about when one person connects with another person through compassionate interaction, evoking a pleasant memory, emotion or sensory impression.
By knowing a person very well and being familiar with their life story, skilled staff members can ease current challenges and bring meaningful moments of joy and self-worth to a persons present time, and throughout their remaining days.
Located in beautiful Urbandale, Iowa, the Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center is one of the newest and most comprehensive upscale assisted living care facilities in Iowa. Here you will find our family’s distinct Meaningful Moments® brand of memory care, where a full consideration of the resident’s life experience and background, preferences and interests are all incorporated into an individualized, customized treatment plan.
At Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, residents can choose between long-term assisted living arrangements or short-term respite care, all the while benefiting from the JEA Senior Living mission to be the “…Leader in providing quality personal services to our residents, while honoring the experience of aging.”