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Think There’s Not a Lot You Can Do for Memory Care Residents? Think Again.

Published On 6.5.20

By Sarah Carothers

Director of Senior Living Partnerships

“Please don’t refer your Memory Care residents to us. There’s not a whole lot we can do for them.”

Have you heard a similar statement from a therapy provider? You probably have. Even if you feel and practice with the exact opposite sentiment, you know this is a stigma that we, as a therapy industry, must overcome. And not just for us but for the senior living industry and as overall human beings. Because this is not acceptable.

Here at FOX, our approach to treating older adults has always been different. And we’re proud of that. We believe in the impossible, and we give our patients, regardless of their diagnosis, the tools and training to believe in themselves. Our hope is that with every patient’s success, with every restored belief, and by celebrating every win, we will abolish ageism.

And with that same level of tenacity and grit, we will abolish the stigmas surrounding our beloved patients in memory care.

How You Can Fight Memory Care Stigmas with the Help of FOX

So where do you begin? Find a provider that believes in your values, your mission, and your people. Without those three things in alignment, no program will succeed.

Ask yourself, what can your memory care residents do? Don’t be afraid if you can’t answer that question. Through the FOX Restoring Life program, we can help.

This comprehensive program has a unique approach for each stage of dementia. FOX clinicians perform considerable evaluations and help take the guesswork out of which approach is best suited for each individual. They provide caregivers with techniques to help increase the quality of day-to-day interactions and ways to best manage the challenges that come with the diagnosis, utilizing the FOX Playbook for Dementia Management. This tool is an invaluable resource for your team, families, and residents.

Our highly trained clinicians help you navigate this evolving diagnosis in three specific areas:

Communication

  • Resources, scenarios, and strategies guide effective communication between caregivers and patients with dementia surrounding bathing, dressing and grooming, toileting, feeding, driving, managing the holidays, and activity engagement.

Behavior

  • Learning to understand patients with dementia and the underlying causes of behaviors while incorporating effective ways to cope and respond for both caregivers and families.
  • Topics include aggression, agitation, anxiety, and fear, arguing and complaining, hallucinating, nighttime waking, repetition, rummaging and hoarding, shadowing, sundowning, suspicion, and paranoid delusions and wandering.

Activities

  • Functional activities to improve quality of life are specifically tied to the various stages of dementia. Activities include but are not limited to music, exercise, household chores, cooking, gardening, playing with children, caring for pets, and successfully participating in outings.

At the same time, a dedicated team of physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists prescribe the appropriate dosage of therapy to elicit physiological change and functional improvement, regardless of cognition. Abilities, rather than disabilities, are targeted. With consistent caregiver training and care coordination efforts, we absolutely can do a lot to help them. Together, we will help them restore life.

“The FOX Rehab Dementia Playbook is an invaluable resource and tool! The format is practical and extremely usable for families, as well as for memory care staff. It addresses all stages of dementia and enables any caregiver to immediately access guidance about specific areas or behavior-related challenges they may be facing. I appreciate FOX Rehab and the way in which they fully embrace, embody, and live in the realm of what truly is possible for individuals living with dementia and their families.”

Mary Stoinski

Regional Memory Care Coordinator

Arrow Senior Living

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