Person-centered care is a growing trend in senior living communities and is the preferred method of care by older adults. However, it’s less about doing things for people they could do themselves, and more about giving them the ability to make their own decisions by respecting each person and  valuing them as an individual.

Read this easy guide to person-centered care and find out why senior living communities like Pomperaug Woods are revolutionizing the traditional approach to healthcare and giving residents the confidence to take control of their retirement.

 

What Is Person-Centered Care?

A traditional approach to healthcare primarily focuses on treating medical conditions, which can cause caregivers to lose sight of the person behind the condition they’re treating. This can lead to older adults feeling like objects or merely tasks to be checked off a to-do list, rather than a human being with thoughts and feelings.

A person-centered approach prioritizes caring for your needs beyond your current health condition. It involves tailoring your care, environment, and services to meet your individual preferences and interests, along with providing excellent healthcare.

This approach involves getting to know each resident, valuing them as an important part of the community, and respecting their views on what’s best for them, so they can take an active role in care-related decisions.

 

5 Signs of Person-Centered Care at a Senior Living Community

While every senior living community is different, there are some basic signs residents are enjoying a high quality of life with tailored care. Here are five pillars that are at the heart of a person-centered approach to care at Pomperaug Woods:

 

Dignity and respect. Every resident has value. Our caregivers respect your wishes and treat your beliefs, feelings, opinions, and thoughts with dignity.

 

Tailored care. Our senior living community in Southbury, CT, offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation services on campus. No matter which level of living you require, you can confidently move through retirement knowing our community understands your unique needs.

 

Empathy. Caregivers in senior living communities that practice person-centered care strive to understand your experiences and empathize with them. Your voice always matters, and you’ll never feel judged for expressing your opinions or emotions.

 

Empowerment. Person-centered care requires you to take actions to support yourself and maintain independence. This helps you feel more in control of your life and makes you less reliant on your caregivers.

 

Information and Education. To make better decisions about your health, you need information. Educational resources, lifelong learning classes, and detailed conversations with your caregivers are all ways we support a whole-person approach to care.

 

Why a Person-Centered Approach Is Essential in Memory Care

Every senior can benefit from person-centered care, especially those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

This tailored approach to healthcare recognizes that seniors living with dementia still have the desire to express themselves, understand their behavior rather than having it managed, and have the right to make their own choices whenever they can.

 

Here are more benefits of person-centered approach to memory care:

 

• Better sleep patterns
• Decreased feelings of boredom
• Increased social opportunities
• Lower risk of depression
• More independent lifestyle
• Reduced aggression and agitation
• Returning to their favorite hobbies and activities

 

A lesser known benefit of person-centered care for residents in memory care or assisted living that has a big impact is a lower risk of caregiver burnout. This whole-person approach increases job satisfaction, decreases stress, and leads to a happier environment for both residents and staff.

 

Do All Senior Living Communities Offer Person-Centered Care?

Though person-centered care is preferred among most seniors, it’s not offered at many senior living communities. That’s because it takes an entire cultural shift, extensive training, and upgrading services to redesign how a community serves its residents, and many communities aren’t willing to go the extra mile.

At Pomperaug Woods, medical attention is a priority, but our highly trained staff is also skilled at providing an engaging environment and working hand in hand with each resident and their family to customize a care plan based on personal preferences and established daily routines.

Our wellness program is research-based and provides a whole-person approach to health by improving your physical health, stimulating your intellect, providing engaging social opportunities, strengthening your spiritual connections and more. In fact, more than 90% of our residents take part in our wellness program!

 

Engage and Energize Your Mind, Body, and Spirit with Person-Centered Care at Pomperaug Woods 

To learn how you can take control of your retirement with  person-centered care at our community in Southbury, CT, contact our sales counselors online or call us at 203-936-8985. We’ll be delighted to answer your questions or schedule a tour!

We’re used to hearing the terms memory care and assisted living, but what is secure assisted living? Quite simply, it’s a long-term memory care option that offers a higher level of safety measures for seniors experiencing beginning to moderate stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

So what does it mean when communities offer secure assisted living for memory care?

Secure assisted living means a community offers a safe, serene space for memory care residents to feel calm while their needs are taken care of by trained staff with the experience and expertise to provide the right level of support no matter what stage of dementia a resident is experiencing. Secure assisted living units can be stand-alone or be part of a larger senior living campus, hospital, or nursing facility. 

What are the benefits of secure assisted living?

Person-centered secure assisted living offers a warm, therapeutic environment in which those with memory loss can remain as independent as possible for as long as possible while navigating their memory loss journey. 

Benefits for residents:

• Active, independent lifestyle for as long as possible
• Dignity and a sense of pride and accomplishment in day-to-day activities
• Engaged eating with specialized diets
• Self-worth, self-esteem, and overall health and well-being
• Reduced fear, anxiety and frustration

Benefits for family members:

• Know your loved one has the best quality of life possible
• Return to the loving relationship you once shared
• Opportunity to make the most of your time together
• Resources, counseling and other services

What to look for in secure assisted living. 

Not all memory care options are created equal. In-home care may seem like the best choice, until you realize it is a 24/7 job that gets very expensive very quickly. Another disadvantage of in-home care is that it usually doesn’t focus on personalized programming and dining options. In general, while this may sound like a great option, in-home care just can’t provide the level of support throughout the entire memory loss journey that a secure assisted living community can.

At a minimum, look for a memory care program that offers:

• Support from certified nursing assistants in activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming, dressing, eating
• Medication management by nursing professionals
• Nutritious chef-prepared meals
• Dementia-friendly programs and activities
• Nursing staff available 24/7
• Vital sign and blood pressure checks
• Transportation coordination to medical appointments
• Regular housekeeping

Pomperaug Woods offers secure assisted living in Southbury, CT.

At Pomperaug Woods, we call our approach to memory care Heartfelt Connections – A Memory Care Program®. Whether you call it secure assisted living or memory care assisted living, all that matters is that our residents proudly call it home. If you’d like to know more about our innovative approach to secure assisted living, let’s get in touch. We’d love to show you around the neighborhood.