Don’t you love it when you meet someone and have an immediate connection? There is something quite comforting in finding another human who shares the same background, favorite food, or even similar quirks. At Lake Gibson Village we’ve often noticed a common thread when families tour our communities: we ALL want to feel connected to the people around us, to discover a mutual interest or friend, and to feel a bond with our neighbors. Visitors to Lake Gibson Village often remark on the strong sense of family they see between residents and staff, and many times that sense of family is a deciding factor in their decision to move into our community. A recent visitor noted that his time at our community reminded him of a family party he attended where he was able to reconnect with family he hadn’t seen in some time. He said, “I realized that although we are separated by distance, our memories of childhood still connect us in a very tangible way.”
Research has found that social connections are healthy in ways we didn’t previously understand. Strong social connections have proven to lessen the risk of some forms of dementia, as well as mitigating the early effects of cognitive impairment in some people. Unfortunately, in the early stages of dementia, the person suffering often withdraws socially due to a fear of humiliation, isolating themselves to “cover” the emerging symptoms. It is especially important for friends and family to continue to stay connected and continue to engage their loved one during this time, but it is usually quite difficult in the face of the progressing illness.
How do we stay connected when communication becomes difficult due to Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia? In many instances, communication becomes stressful for the person with dementia as they struggle to interpret verbal cues. Due to this, non-verbal communication, in the form of touch and eye contact, becomes vitally important. Learning to interact with a loved one suffering from dementia can make caregiving more fulfilling and less frustrating for both the caregiver and the cared for, leading to better engagement and quality of life.
At Lake Gibson Village, we’ve created a unique memory care program which embraces the Montessori philosophy. Our Reflections program combines the most recent research in the field of memory care with real world best practices identified by WindRiver Senior Living, which has worked with those that affected by Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia for over three decades. The guiding principles of Reflections – Wellness, Enrichment, Failure-free Challenge, Connection and Creativity – provide the foundation for Lake Gibson Village memory care philosophy, focused on creating a sustained, holistic approach to connecting with memory care residents on an individual level.
If you’d like more information on how to truly connect with a loved one suffering from dementia, or would like to learn more about the Reflections program, call us at 863-815-6195 or visit us anytime at http://www.lakegibsonvillage.com We’d love to connect with you!