1. General information on the Dementia Care Center at RPH
2. Our Philosophy for dementia care
3. Two specialized levels of dementia care

General Information on the Dementia Care Center at RPH
In 1994, the Rochester Presbyterian Home became the first adult care facility in Rochester to establish an Alzheimer's care unit for those in the early to middle stage Alzheimers disease and other related dementias. In 1997, our mission to serve those with dementia was expanded from 22 beds to 63 beds. We now provide two distinct levels of dementia care. We have made an ongoing commitment to train our staff in the most advanced techniques for caring for those with dementia. We also have a higher staff to resident ratio than other adult homes with similiar dementia programs. (See staffing chart under Adult Care Facility general information)

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Rimini cheap hotelsOur Philosophy for Dementia Care
Our philosophy for caring for those with dementia is one of acceptance and validation coupled with an intense desire to see residents do what they can for themselves. We want to maintain the highest level of functioning so wherever possible we allow the resident to do whatever they can for themselves. In order to foster a sense of self worth and accomplishment we encourage participation by residents in setting the table before a meal and assisting with other domestic chores. Because we believe that every person is unique and special, we do everything we can to customize our care in order to accommodate the residents schedule instead of having one set schedule for everyone. We believe in involving the families of residents in planning the care we provide. Families are encouraged to attend care conferences in order to assure that we will best meet the needs of their loved one. We also offer a monthly Family Council to provide an opportunity for families to advocate on behalf of residents. It also strengthens our "partnership" in care giving . Recognizing the special needs of families, we also have arranged for an Alzheimer's Association sponsored support group to meet at Rochester Presbyterian Home on a monthly basis. Anyone who would like to visit this group can speak to one of our social workers or call the Alzheimer's Association.

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Two Specialized Levels of Dementia Care
To better accommodate the needs of individual residents the Rochester Presbyterian Home offers two levels of Special Care for persons with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia disorders. At both levels we provide a flexible, residential setting to promote a sense of family, of community, of belonging. Residents are engaged in therapeutic activities intended to preserve lifelong skills and enhance independence.

We care for those in the early stage of dementia on our second and third floors. Our second and third floor residents typically demonstrate early stage dementia and thus need direction and cueing to function at the highest level of independence. All residents receive assistance with medication management from our nursing staff and most need personal care and grooming assistance from our Resident Assistants. Activities are an important part of the daily routine and programs are both on and off the residential floors. Meals are served by wait staff in the main Dining Room on the first floor and residents are escorted by other residents or staff to meals and activities.

We care for those in middle stages of dementia on our fourth floor. Fourth floor residents demonstrate mid-stage symptoms of dementia and need a simplified routine with greater structure. Activities and meals are provided on the floor and a higher level of staffing is provided to continually assess and accommodate residents' needs. The fourth floor special care program also provides a wander protection system and offers specialized psychiatric consultation for residents exhibiting behavior changes. For more information about our the Dementia Care Center, please call 235-9100 and ask to speak with Joyce Baron, our Director of Admissions.

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