By Staff reports
Marblehead Reporter
Posted Jan 26, 2013 @ 08:01 AM
Marblehead — All Care Hospice’s new Sensory Treatment Program addresses the growing need for individualized care and support of patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to the organization.
“The program focuses on the person with the disease, not on the disease itself,” said Trish Crean, an All Care Hospice social worker. “Special emphasis is placed on understanding the patient as an individual and learning as much about their life as possible.”
All Care Hospice team members start with a Get to Know Me form, which is completed by the patient or a family member.
“Everyone has a story, a history, and achievements; people they love and have loved,” said Krissy Neumann, All Care Hospice operations director. “Unfortunately for people with dementia, memories become muddled and communicating verbally can be difficult. The Get to Know Me form allows us to see the whole person, to understand their past and know what’s important to them. Our focus is on appealing to emotions using images, music, aromatherapy, touch and massage to evoke recognition and help patients interact with others.”
Program goals are to improve the quality of life for both patients and their families by using personalized sensory techniques to stimulate memory and trigger positive emotional responses — helping patients capture cherished memories that enable family and friends to reconnect with their loved ones and relive shared moments together. The Sensory Program also addresses the unique needs of family members affected by the disease and offers emotional support, education and sensory technique training.
The program is open to All Care Hospice patients living at home or residing in facilities throughout All Care’s North Shore, Greater Boston North and Merrimack Valley service areas.
“The All Care Hospice Sensory Treatment Program was designed using scientific research demonstrated to make a positive difference in the lives of dementia and Alzheimer patients and their families,” said Dr. Wayne Saltsman, an All Care medical director and geriatrician. “Our hospice staff and volunteers receive specialized training and ongoing education to help patients break through the wall of dementia to offer them and their families the most meaningful interaction of all: to reminisce, share and love at the end of life.”
Read more: All Care Hospice introduces Sensory Treatment Program – Marblehead, MA – Marblehead Reporter http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/news/x2105875639/All-Care-Hospice-introduces-Sensory-Treatment-Program#ixzz2MfntJ254