alzheimer’s
Visit
www.good-sam.com/alzheimers to read a Q&A with geriatric psychiatrist
Dr. Matthew Malone and see a video from two of the Society’s special care units.
Dr. Matthew Malone
That treatment plan involves medications that allow the brain to function better for a longer period of time. Other medications manage symptoms such as aggression and negative changes in mood.
“In addition to medical treatments, we plan for the future, monitor for other conditions such as depression, and address behavioral, social and safety issues,” says Dr. Garnaas. “I go on the journey with them.”
Family concerns While the disease is devastating, Wendy Figland, of Mitchell, S.D., felt relief when her mother, Fern Butterfield, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“There was finally a reason for her memory loss,” Figland says.
Before Butterfield’s diagnosis, she lived in her own home, doing everything except home maintenance. Then, Figland started to notice her mother was forgetting to bathe, take medications properly, and eat.
“When I asked her about it, she was convinced she had done all these things,” Figland says. “She didn’t even realize that she wasn’t taking care of herself.”
Butterfield is now a resident in the Arbor Neighborhood at Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village. It is one of 54 special
Above: Fern Butterfield likes to talk about the flowers she used to grow and the compliments she received. Right: Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village has a courtyard with a secure privacy fence so residents can go outdoors without getting lost.
care units in 15 states owned and operated by the Good Samaritan Society. Special care units — having a secured environment with a flexible routine — are designed to help residents with moderate Alzheimer’s and other dementias function to the best of their ability. However, Kutner says, environment alone does not make a successful unit.
“That’s only one element,” she says. “Trained staff and specialized programs are key.”
Providing care Good Samaritan Society staff members who care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias know the importance of getting to know residents and their family members in order to deliver the most personalized care possible. Consistent staff members help accomplish this in special care units.
JoAnn Straw, a licensed practical nurse and special care unit coordinator at Good Samaritan Society – Pipestone in Pipestone, Minn., says not everyone can live in a fast-paced world and survive. Those with dementia need a calmer environment.
“That’s what an Alzheimer’s unit is,” she says. “Familiar, safe and comfortable. We get to be like a family.”
Karen Moore is a certified nursing assistant, medication aide and restorative aide at Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village. She is one of two daytime caregivers in the special care unit and coordinates activities to stimulate residents’ minds and help manage behaviors.
“Everyone has their good days and bad days,” Moore says. “But we want to keep residents busy doing something
The Good Samaritan • 2011 • Vol. 45 • No. 2 7
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