The dementia caused by Alzheimer’s alters the way the elderly sees their surroundings. Disorientation, tension, and loneliness set in when familiar names, places, and people seem foreign. However, ensuring an elderly can live in a pleasant space that caters to their individual preferences and needs can have a significant impact on their sense of life contentment and fulfillment. Here are some tips on creating a calm environment for dementia residents in retirement living in West Goshen, PA.
Calm Environment for Dementia Patients
The Victorian Department of Health explains that the increased reliance on one’s senses, increased worry and stress, and heightened sensitivity to one’s physical and social situations are all symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.
However, the elderly with Alzheimer’s are more likely to take pleasure in life and feel at home if what they perceive is familiar and routine rather than chaotic and disorderly.
Some potential amenities for memory care communities that could improve the quality of life for residents with Alzheimer’s disease are listed below:
In Senior Apartments:
- Make sure that the decorations in their apartment include colors that are calming.
- Maintain constant proximity between the elderly person and a communication device.
- Make sure that the temperature is comfortable for the elderly person.
- Maintain a steady flow of visitors, particularly those who come from their own circle of relatives and close friends.
- Make the spaces simple to move around in.
- If it is necessary, take down decorations like throw rugs to prevent tripping.
- Caregivers to assist with tasks such as shopping and cooking.
- Make use of music as a means to both uplift and relax their spirits.
- Use simple decor to minimize distractions.
In Retirement Living:
- Caregivers should maintain a regular schedule of the resident.
- Make it feel more like a neighborhood than a hospital by using furniture and layouts that reflect just that.
- Reduce the size of the dining area and the size of the tables to promote conversation and lessen distraction during meals.
- Look for separate areas that can serve as cues for desired behaviors, such as an activity, art, and music therapy room or a family visiting area.
- It is important to guarantee the security of outdoor spaces.
- New indoor and outdoor features should be designed with residents’ needs in mind.
- Make sure there is space for residents to have privacy in their apartments.
- Make sure there are discreet medical aid stations located at various points across the community.
How a Calm Environment Affects Results
Positive reinforcement and care that focuses on the individual can be helpful for Alzheimer’s patients, despite the fact that neither approach is curative.
Alzheimer’s patients in their golden years will experience a greater sense of control over their lives if the environment in which they reside is stimulating, accommodating to their medical condition, and conducive to the preservation of their health, independence, and safety.
They are more likely to maintain an active lifestyle and participate in activities that they find enjoyable, both of which contribute to their overall health and lifespan.
