Tuesday, January 4, 2011

“although weathered, although tested by dementia, people are beautiful”

Giving Alzheimer’s Patients Their Way, Even Chocolate
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/01/health/01care.html?pagewanted=2&ref=general&src=me

After reading this article on the New York Times, I thought I'd be doing us all a service by sharing!  Beatitudes nursing home is truly an inspiration. Instead of confining patients who suffer from dementia, Beatitudes allows patients to be free (in more ways than one). Where most nursing homes and senior care facilities offer patients healthful-tasteless foods, Beatitudes spoils patients with chocolates and round the clock food.

Although the option of chocolate and round the clock food is important, it is not the reason I have become enamored with Beatitudes. My love for this institution deals primarily with DIGNITY. This institution allows for patients to keep their dignity, despite their state of mind. Not only do patients eat what they please, they also receive the attention of caregivers one-on-one.

Where other institutions over-medicate, use diapers (even for 'able'-minded individuals), and pay little attention to the needs of residents; Beatitudes is the complete opposite. Beatitudes medicates with chocolate, helps residents maintain independence by allowing them to use toilets, as well as using low cushioned wheelchairs and low guard rails to enable patients to get up when they please. Although this may sound like a safety concern for some, the independence is important when increasing a patients quality of life.

More institutions should follow suite, especially as the aged population continually rises. (Let us not forget about the baby-boomers). The happier our seniors are presently, the better it will be when it is our turn.   






If I ever end up with dementia PLEASE send me to Beatitudes, it's my only wish ;)

1 comment:

  1. I find this blog very heartfelt and the work that Beatitudes is doing is very inspirational!

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